Raymond and Perens respond to SCO [LWN.net]

Raymond and Perens respond to SCO

Posted Sep 10, 2003 17:22 UTC (Wed) by murry (guest, #13033)
In reply to: Raymond and Perens respond to SCO by josh_stern
Parent article: Raymond and Perens respond to SCO

The access to news media is a systemic part of the problem for the open source community. ESR's excellent (but reactive) response to Darl's letter may not be getting equal distribution. This is a problem. It's solved by a business decision to build a proactive response capability.

Anyone with a checkbook can contract with a newswire to publish a press release that is distributed to global, national, regional and local media "circuits". Darl's open letter is a polished press release distributed for a fee by PR Newswire. Reuters picked it up on the wire because a) they have been following and reporting the story and b) it involves several publically-traded companies.

Typically, the newswires "vet" releases for inflammatory and accusatory statements, especially statements aimed at public companies. PR agencies earn their fees in part by weasel-wording flames and accusations to get by the vetting process. Darl's letter is exquisitely weasel-worded. It took time to write this letter, and it is aimed at people who do not have the deep insight and background of most open source advocates. People who populate juries. This letter is a substitute for positive character witnesses. It is manufactured evidence of corporate citizenship and good will. And to those who know better, it is disgusting.

In addition to use of a newswire for distribution, SCO's machine is probably also "pitching and placing" each release with a small but carefully selected group of journalists and analysts. The professional approach is to make calls and offer the release by e-mail as an exclusive or semi-exclusive, and this always grabs journalists who enjoy scooping their competitors.

Should the open source community fight fire with fire? Should ESR's response letter have been a press release distributed by a newswire, with an earnest pitch effort in advance?

I for one would applaud if OSS assembled a response center to fight fire with fire. My hand is in the air as a volunteer. My first recommendation is to shift from a reactive to proactive strategy. When you think about all the good OSS stories out there, proactive becomes highly attractive.

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Raymond and Perens respond to SCO

Posted Sep 20, 2003 1:52 UTC (Sat) by rhkramer (guest, #15212) [Link]

murry,

Thanks for raising your hand -- I hope someone sees it and takes advantage
of it.

I hadn't realized that press releases were a business. If we (the open
source community) get into that business, we need to do it right -- it
sounds like you have some experience

And, I agree with the criticisms raised in other posts about this email,
and want to reiterate one and add another.

Hacker is the wrong word.

Isn't another one of the fundamental principles of good communication to
know your audience? "farrago"??

What's the man in the street going to think?

Randy Kramer