[ale] Notes from Jun 19th meeting

[Geoffrey]

Jeff Lightner wrote:
> Well one difference is that what they gain is the fact that they are NOT
> "paying".

The teachers (users) don't pay either way, so they'll be focused on 
getting their job done.  Understand, this is not the 'Printshop' issue 
I'm referring to.  What I'm saying is, you can not ignore how they 
currently get the job done.

If I haul garbage for a living and drive a garbage truck, are you going 
to sell me a Ferrari to replace it?  After all, it's faster, more 
comforable and has a fantastic sound system.

> 
> For people with unlimited budgets this may not seem like a selling point
> but I guarantee you it is for others.

All too often I've seen software/applications sold to the people who 
sign the checks, without consulting the users.  This approach eventually 
fails.

> People are certainly resistant to change - it is the first thing they
> teach in any management class. However, change DOES occur all the time
> even for "paying" clients and it often has nothing to do with what is
> "better" or "offers the same" functionality as what existed before but
> rather who is making the decision.   Getting teachers on board for a
> change won't help much if for example the Superintendent of schools is a
> MicroSloth fan.

Exactly.  Selling a solution to the Superintendent without the buy in of 
the end user is a long term losing solution at well.

> Nobody has suggested ignoring the issue completely but rather focusing
> on the "selling points" of open source rather than the possible
> downside.  That IS something one would do with a "paying" client.  More
> than once in my career I've seen a PHB choose a product due to vaporware
> promises over what we already had installed despite objections from
> those who could see what we were giving up.

I'm not suggesting that you ignore the selling points either, but you 
can not simply ignore 'how they currently do business.'

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
  - Benjamin Franklin