Re: Time to work on Press Release 8.0 - Mailing list pgsql-advocacy

Guys,

I think this discussion is getting WAY off track.    Might I point out that I
had proposed mentioning Slony-I as part of a larger paragraph on new/more
mature add-ons?

P4: discuss major add-ins: Slony-I, PL/perlNG, PL/Java, etc.
        "more features for dedicated PG users, see full release".

So far we've had 45 posts debating what should be, in my opinion, A SINGLE
SENTENCE in a press release which ISN'T WRITTEN YET.   Maybe we could discuss
more pertinent stuff, like the general theme of the release?

Every press release, if you want it to be read and quoted, needs to tell a
story.   Last release, it was that PostgreSQL was now equivalent to the Big
Boys and it was time for migration.   I think we did a good job getting that
message across.

This release, I think our theme should be corporate involvement.  Aside from
the specific features (which speak for themselves) what's news over the last
year is the amount of interest and sponsorship we've received from various
commercial entities, including feature sponsors SRA, FJ and Afilias and code
contributor Command Prompt, as well as our existing sponsors like RH and
PGInc and probably others I'm forgetting.

The reason to use this theme -- aside from attracting reporters -- is that
"partnerships" is currently widely perceived to be a weakness of our project.
MySQL, in contrast, has done a job of broadcasting whenever they so much as
have lunch with an exec from a major corporation -- as do many other
commercialized OSS projects and start-ups.   This has resulted in an
impression (based on my conversations at LWE and elsewhere) that PostgreSQL
does not have "business momentum".   I think we can turn that around.

I find this idea more appealing that our other thematic options for the
release:
1) PostgreSQL on Windows: while a major step forward, I think this will sell
itself;
2) Faster Development than anyone else:  also true, but harder to convince
reporters.

> I think Slony deserves its own Press Release ... its big enough of an
> add-on that including it as part of the 8.0.0 release will shift focus
> from what 8.0.0 has accomplished ...

Not an option.  Afilias, the sponsor, does not want to do a Slony release yet,
and it's their call.

--
Josh Berkus
Aglio Database Solutions
San Francisco