quality of http://bizdev.openoffice.org/consultants.html

Peter Vandenabeele wrote:
> On 11/15/06, Cor Nouws <oolstnouenoff.nl> wrote:
>>
>> Louis Suarez-Potts wrote:
>>
>> > also consider charging to be listed. The fee
would be minimal and 
>> would
>> > go to paying for sustaining the project.
>>
>> I think it is OK to ask a fee. After all, for
busniness listed it is
>> marketing. And they also can exist (partly) because
OOo exists ...
>
>
> I do agree that for businesses, it is realistic to pay
some money for
> this
> marketing.

Hi all,
I'm not sure if we can simply assume that all
consulting/support
services are businesses and earn the big bugs with it.

If I look at the current list, and according to Peter's
analysis, there
are many websites linked that don't exist any more or that
don't even
mention OOo anymore. I think this is not because they all
have made so
much money that they retired and live in their beach houses
and sip
champagne. I rather think they didn't see much business
coming their way.

The very same is true for businesses in other countries.
$100/yr does
sound not too much for a US or Belgian business. However in
Brazil it
sounds quite a bit of money and in most places in Africa it
mushrooms
into a small fortune, when you add all the charges to it
that are
necessary to pay any money in USD. I think this is not so
clear cut.

I also can see that someone might offer support and not
charge for it,
such as retired professionals consulting for not for profit
organizations or schools. Would they also spend money to be
listed in
the "official" OOo list?

I also don't think it is in OOo's best interest to charge
for a listing.
OO's best interest is to have as many consultants listed
that do exist
and do really make a good job in OOo marketing in their own
self
interest. If they are successful, then OOo is successful and
OOo can ask
them for donations and will have sponsors for their
conferences.

Last but not least I'm scared by the logistics of the money
trail with
all issues attached.
Just my five cents to the topic.

Kaj

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Hi

On 2006-11-15, at 18:45 , Kaj Kandler wrote:

>
snip

> The very same is true for businesses in other
countries. $100/yr does
> sound not too much for a US or Belgian business.
However in Brazil it
> sounds quite a bit of money and in most places in
Africa it mushrooms
> into a small fortune, when you add all the charges to
it that are
> necessary to pay any money in USD. I think this is not
so clear cut.

Sigh.... -) You assume we are inflexible  Really, we
are not, and  
we've been doing this now for a rather long time and have
been  
debating this and related issues for the last 6 years. 

As mentioned in my response to another post, exceptions will
exist  
and will be taken exceptionally. We are not computer
programs 


>
> I also can see that someone might offer support and not
charge for it,
> such as retired professionals consulting for not for
profit
> organizations or schools. Would they also spend money
to be listed in
> the "official" OOo list?
>
> I also don't think it is in OOo's best interest to
charge for a  
> listing.
> OO's best interest is to have as many consultants
listed that do exist
> and do really make a good job in OOo marketing in their
own self
> interest. If they are successful, then OOo is
successful and OOo  
> can ask
> them for donations and will have sponsors for their
conferences.
>
> Last but not least I'm scared by the logistics of the
money trail with
> all issues attached.
> Just my five cents to the topic.

The logistics are the real issue, which is why I would
prefer wikis  
and the honour system.  I see no compelling reason for
policing lists  
like this excessively.  Or, we can accept Adam's point and
continue  
with the website, which allows for more control and
checking.  My  
interest is in reducing management, reducing spurious
listings, and  
in bringing in small revenue, so as to make OOo more
sustainable.

And if this doesn't work, we stop it. As mentioned, we, or
at least  
I, am not inflexible. Right now, though, the consultants
page is not  
working at all-- no one goes there, it's a pain to maintain,
and we  
throw away our promises with our business.

A paid-for page, however, would be placed in a more
prominent place  
and would ultimately include more things.

I had not really intended in embarking on this discussion at
this  
point, but why not? For starters, see my presentation at
OOoCon:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon200
6/presentations/tuesday_c7.pdf




>
> Kaj

Ciao
Louis


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Hi Louis,
sorry I'm relatively new here. I really didn't want to
re-discuss the
issues that have already been decided.

Louis Suarez-Potts wrote:
> I had not really intended in embarking on this
discussion at this
> point, but why not? For starters, see my presentation
at OOoCon:
>
Agreed, I'd rather go to work as well to fix the current
page first and
then see where we go from there. Do you see any sense in
that? Or do you
feel this is a waste of time and effort?

It looks like there are three resources available Liana,
Peter and
myself. That should make a difference, if we can formulate a
policy (for
the list as is) and if we can get the permission to do so. I
personally
would be fine if Adam (the current maintainer, who I hope
would stay on
a bit) could share with us the criteria he used.

My priority is getting the service for OOo users and OOo
consultants
back online.

Kind regards,
Kaj


>
>
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Hi
On 2006-11-16, at 07:30 , Kaj Kandler wrote:

> Hi Louis,
> sorry I'm relatively new here. I really didn't want to
re-discuss the
> issues that have already been decided.

You are very gracious  Sorry if I
sounded a little exasperated.
>
> Louis Suarez-Potts wrote:
>> I had not really intended in embarking on this
discussion at this
>> point, but why not? For starters, see my
presentation at OOoCon:
>>
> Agreed, I'd rather go to work as well to fix the
current page first  
> and
> then see where we go from there. Do you see any sense
in that? Or  
> do you
> feel this is a waste of time and effort?

No, not at all. The changeover to a for-fee wiki (or equiv
or not)  
idea won't happen overnight.  It will affect a lot of
people--like  
those on the list, to begin with--who must be contacted.

>
> It looks like there are three resources available
Liana, Peter and
> myself. That should make a difference, if we can
formulate a policy  
> (for
> the list as is) and if we can get the permission to do
so. I  
> personally
> would be fine if Adam (the current maintainer, who I
hope would  
> stay on
> a bit) could share with us the criteria he used.

That would be great, and let's work on that, then.
>
> My priority is getting the service for OOo users and
OOo consultants
> back online.

Quite.

>
> Kind regards,
> Kaj

Thanks
louis