KDE/Partners

This page is a collection area for thoughts on how to construct a strategy for partnerships with independant software vendors (ISVs) and system integrators (SIs) as well as implementation notes for same. Other partners are surely on the map as well, but right now we are focussing on the ISV/SI issue.

The immediate game plan is:

• define what we will be doing with and for each of these groups
• turn that into a releasable communique for the press channel
• garner feedback and registrations of interest from people in both groups
• world domination.

As this plan is fleshed out and we achieve points one and two, the results will be taken to the MWG, e.V. and then the general community. This will allow a staged introduction with peer review at each point.

People working on this at the moment:

• Aaron Seigo
• Jaroslaw Staniek
• Inge Wallin

ISVs

The challenges we hear from ISVs tend to fall into a few common categories:

• binary compat across distributions
• clear desktop integration strategies for third party software
• lack of documentation (MSDN is often brought up)
• lack of relationship / partnership points with the community that are recognizable / make sense to them
• traditional tech support options

The first two are out of scope of KDE itself, but we need to stress in our communications that we are involved in significant ways with both the LSB and Portland.

SIs

The initial target SIs will be regional companies with 5-500 employees. Obviously these are not the "big boys" but they are probably more accessible targets. The goal is to raise the number of companies that provide service and support for KDE based installations.

The Plan

Current/Immediate Initiatives (Target: March)

• kdelibs.com
  • repositioned as an isv site
  • rebranded to match devnew
  • win32 build system settles down and the tutorials are then moved to devnew
  • isv.kde.org is registered and points to kdelibs.com
  • the isv section on devnew moves to kdelibs.com
    • the tools and libraries link there point to devnew

• devnew
  • becomes d.k.o and will be launched with KDE4 as our answer to MSDN
  • isv entry points to isv.kde.org

• online registration and survey form to be referenced from announcement

Mid-term

• create membership programs for ISVs and SIs
  • online registry where they can be found by possible clients, list their titles, etc
  • mail-out packages for each group
    • glossy version of our isv.kde.org info
    • pointers to online information sources
    • information they can pass on to potential clients

• organize an ISV/SI conference

• an ISV issue tracker (Staniek)

Blue Sky Thinking

• build the online registry in a social B2B networking system?