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Re: Marketing angle (was: RFC: Office suite)
Hi,
On Saturday 11 August 2001 09:18, Ira Abramov wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Aug 2001, Hetz Ben Hamo wrote:
> > Well, there are interested, but first they want some feedback from the
> > local Israeli users about some issues. If you can - please answer, and
> > explain your points.
>
> I'll try, but do keep in mind this list does not represent the average
> joe user.
Yes, but lots of people here are sys admins - and who people ask for software
solutions? the sys admins ;)
>
> > run it (it comes with it's own static QT version), and it runs under
>
> is it possible to have it run with my pre-installed QT for better shared
> memory usage?
Yes
>
> > Regarding hebrew - I do think (IMHO) that in the first stage the
> > localization (hebrew menus and hebrew online) is not that important.
> > IMHO it's much important to have all the bidi functions first
> > (tables, paragraphs, nikud, importing Hebrew word documents, etc..)
>
> importing and exporting Hebrew Word is ultra-crucial, so is an option
> for a very M$-like environment so you can move M$Word people to it with
> ease. M$ has a very good grip on the Israeli market as there are no
> competitors, and they will have to do some serious marketing decisions
> (pricing and agressive product compatibility adaptions) if they want to
> capture any market share (20 paying customers from the linux-il lists do
> not make a market)
Your point is a good one. There isn't any competitor because lets face it:
Dagesh was what I call CrapWare (lost 430 pages document of a project I did -
it simply refused to load the document and the support tech couldn't help
either), Alef-Bet didn't want to get into the Windows market (feared of MS?),
QText was nice while it lasted - so MS got to a very easy point to penetrate
to the market..
>
> > 1. How much do you think you're willing to pay for this suite?
>
> $50 per seat for home users, $100 per seat for a professional package,
> with special prices for 5+ seat networks. I don't know what the product
> costs in other languages, but they may have to seriously lower the price
> to get a foothold in our market.
>
> the problem is really, that people don't use windows just for office.
> they should more likely begin with a windows version rather than a linux
> version, and we linux users would get the fringe benefit of the product
> being multiplatform. you can't look at this as "the product that will
> make people switch to linux", you have to look at it as "if we create a
> windows product demand, linux users will also benefit"
One of the points I have talked to them and suggested (and looks like it will
be so) is that you get 3 versions in 1 CD: Windows version, Linux version,
and Mac OS X version. You buy it - you get the other versions for free.
>
> > 2. Is localization (hebrew online menu and menus) very important to you?
> > if it won't have the localization but will have all the bidi stuff - will
> > you still buy it?
>
> with QT3, I imagine that menues and dialogs are going to be the simplest
> problem, it can be done in a matter of days or a few weeks on the side.
> the rendering engine is the big clincher. I don't care about Hebrew
> interface myself, but I do suppose the average Israeli user will be more
> insistant.
Ahh, I see.
>
> > 3. Does a Windows version important to you (in terms of installing it in
> > office)?
>
> yes, like I said, it should be their first priority, as a profits-driven
> company, and it should be the linux community's interest to make their
> product sell (mainly of course on windows) so that product line is
> succesfull enough for them to keep maintaining it.
>
> the question you have to stop and ask yourself is what your goal is.
> - more linux systems in the market.
More linuxes - the better ;)
> - a better linux environment for current users.
Yes, I think that is a good point - but it's a tough to convince a user who
always got everything under GPL to go out and spend $100 on a commercial
softwrae. Thats why there will be a free 30 days trial version downloadable..
> - a competition for microsoft.
I wouldn't call it competition - it's hard to compare Hancom Office to Office
XP for example in terms of features, but it can be a good alternative to
people who want to move from old Office to a new one. Just look at the
pricing - Full Office XP (word, excel, powerpoint, access, outlook,
publisher) costs around $600 - so even if Hancom devcides to take $200 (most
unlikely) - it's 1/3 of the price for a product which IMHO fulfiils most of
the end user needs.
> - some other goals, like promoting QT3 to Israeli companies?
I'm still arguing with TrollTech about their pricing which IMHO are
outrageous - $1,500 for a single license - way too much.
> Because each one needs a completely different marketing strategy and
> set of markeing channels, and not all of them concur with this company's
> goals. I imagine they are not here to make linux a better compatitor for
> M$, they are here to sell licenses. they need help flooding the market
> with a cheap version that many places places would like to buy, and then
> a moderately-priced package people will want to upgrade to.
I couldn't agree more ;)
>
> The competition is VERY tough, mind you. the number of companies in
> Israel with only-one-machine-running-windows in Israel is very low (I'm
> guessing Aduva, Epitera and Lerner? :-) where you have the secretary
> produce M$ docs. most other software establishments I know buy 20
> licenses of MSDN for the developpers, and install the office that comes
> in with it for free on the secreteries' machines.
>
> first step, in any case, is to persuade them that there is a market.
> As I see it, there is no significant linux market for them, and I don't
> have the numbers or the knowhow to tell if they have a M$ market. they
> need a local marketing company to tell them that before they make such a
> decision.
>
> Good luck!
I'll them that ;)
--
Hetz Ben Hamo
hetz@kde.org
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