Svein Erling Tysvær wrote:

> A newsletter sounds nice, what I'm uncertain about is how to obtain it.
> Should we aim at providing it free to the highest possible number of
> subscribers and try to get more donors this way, or should the
> newsletter subscription be available for Firebird Foundation members
> only and that way be an incentive to join the Foundation? That would be
> a tangible benefit of joining the Foundation and could possibly make it
> easier for those not being members/donors due to it being difficult to
> explain their shareholders/public authorities that it really is an
> expense for their company (I don't know how frequent this is, I just
> think I've heard someone mentioning that it could be difficult to
> explain membership/sponsorship in relation to the IRS or something).
>
> As far as I see it, there are three alternatives:
>
> a) Free subscription
> b) Free with Firebird Foundation membership
> c) Paid subscription
>
> In all cases, I'd say any potential surplus ought to go to the Firebird
> Foundation. Myself, I don't know which option I favour, nor which option
> has the greatest 'income potential' for Firebird.

I think FB needs:

1) to "get out there" - get people to know about it, and

2) to get more people to join the foundation and to contribute funds or
other resources.

For 1) a free newletter might be one tool. This free newsletter should
be attractive and actively promoted anywhere and anyhow possible to
maximize the subscription count. The content should be aimed at success
stories, promotional technical content ("look what Firebird can do"),
news events like conferences, new version etc.

For 2) a premium content newsletter might be one tool. This newsletter
should probably contain articles and other content that's primarily of
value for (very?) active Firebird users and contributors, e.g. in-depth
technical articles.

So, two different publications to serve two different purposes.

Kjell
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Kjell Rilbe
DataDIA AB
E-post: kjell@...
Telefon: 08-761 06 55
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