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Re: Marketing TXP
uli wrote:
Much of the points TXP didn’t get in the comparison table on liftstudios.ca were not given because TXP would employ plugins for these.
Agreed. A lot of TXP’s power is from the combined fact that it scores highly for being lightweight out of the box, yet insanely powerful if you throw a few plugins into the mix.
session management will become possible with smd_vars
Hehe, perhaps that’s going a tad too far :-) True session management with all its inherent security / nonce / hashes and such is still reliant on dropping into PHP to get at the relevant info.
smd_vars simply offers the ability to remember user input across pages so it appears to have memory and can be used to add rudimentary session/wizard control to your pages if you wish. Combined with a bit of PHP magic it could probably be used to track browser sessions but in its raw plugin form you’d be hard pressed to offer session support. Mind you, I’ve not really thought it through enough yet and if you’re going into PHP to do stuff, you won’t need smd_vars to track sessions for you ‘cos the browser does it.
Last edited by Bloke (2008-06-09 13:05:53)
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Re: Marketing TXP
wet wrote:
Word! (emphasis mine) – and then WordPress users moan that WP devs never show up in their forum…
Yet another word! I feel better now…
It is interesting to see the language used
Wordpress
It’s by far the easiest CMS to teach how to administer and possibly the easiest to theme and customize too.
Which means: I am using it for some time now and I’m good enough to teach it. I do not know many other CMSs but keep on reading anyway
Textpattern
It has a clean administrative interface and seems easy to use.
Which means: I have never used it but if I did, I would probably find it easy
Expression Engine
The only problem with this solution is it’s not completely open source and don’t have a vibrant community behind it as a result.
Which means: i looked at it but as it is not free I am not interested about it
Joomla
… I haven’t been able to convince … myself to use if for a project.
the first straight statement
Drupal
It is somewhat scalable but requires the correct server hardware and configuration.
… I can continue but I think that my point’s made.
Yiannis
——————————
NeMe | hblack.art | EMAP | A Sea change | Toolkit of Care
I do my best editing after I click on the submit button.
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Re: Marketing TXP
wet wrote:
Word! (emphasis mine) – and then WordPress users moan that WP devs never show up in their forum…
Found this comment interesting:
It has a clean administrative interface and seems easy to use.
Keith
Blyth, Northumberland, England
Capture The Moment
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Re: Marketing TXP
And this (from the comments on what I found to be an excellent and entertaining article):
Not to knock Wordpress users, but I find TXP sites are always that little bit more unique and interesting by comparison.*
*Design-wise, that is.
That’s more or less what I say a few posts back…
Last edited by keith (2008-06-09 15:45:57)
Keith
Blyth, Northumberland, England
Capture The Moment
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Re: Marketing TXP
Here’s the improved idea I mentioned earlier in this thread – the one that will pull Textpattern from obscure invisibility into the glorious sunshine of global popularity :) I emailed it to Kevin Potts, Robert and Ruud so they could approve it and spruce it up for total world domination. But they are so flabbergasted that they haven’t got back to me yet. So perhaps you’d like to discuss it while they recover from the shock…
Textpattern’s main audience are web designers who want a free CMS to serve a variety of purposes. Successful web designers have promotional skills besides design skills. Many have blogs and a way with words too.
If lots of web designers and others with similar skills were to write relevant articles on a Textpattern web site, to an audience of mostly other web designers, the interest in this Textpattern Blog would surely increase Textpattern’s visibility and popularity.
But why would they want to do that? After all they already write articles and tell their friends and clients about Textpattern and maybe donate money to developers and plugin makers. Well, to be part of such a project would be exciting and add to their status and prestige. If each had a separate section to style as they like, with their own About page to customize as they like, they could really make the website zing. Page Rank would rise quickly, especially if this was an official Textpattern site. They would gain a wider audience for themselves as well as Textpattern. And, of course, they would get the satisfaction of giving something back to the software coders and community they love.
Such a lot of creativity on one site is a mind boggling prospect, imho. I think it would create a buzz bomb that would reverberate for years to come. Not only will the contributors be endorsing Textpattern, but they could demonstrate its flexibility and freedom through the design. At one article per week, 13 contributors would only need to write an article once every 3 months. With 26 contributors, once every 6 months. So this is sustainable, not just a flash in the pan.
This second site would unite rather than split Textpattern. There could be a download page with documentation aimed at bloggers and it would still not be a split, but just be a part of a great site populated by Textpattern lovers. Textpattern Blog could be listed in directories and comparison sites under ‘blog tool’ in addition to textpattern.com being listed under ‘cms’ etc, so increasing visibility in that way too.
The public side of Textpattern at the moment is mostly of a technical, possibly nerdy, nature. Textpattern Blog would show much more of the design and human side of Textpattern. As users are mostly design-oriented this has to be a good thing.
I put some docs on textpatternblog.com together with an eye-catching stunning unique design the like of which you have never seen before but no devs, kevs or visitors have gazed on its splendour so far. So be the first, start a trend, give me some feedback.
Edit: I forgot that some people have no sense of humour, so please note that I am exaggerating in the opening and closing paragraphs. And when I ask for feedback it is about the idea not textpatternblog.com which is little more than a blank canvas awaiting the brush stroke of a master.
Last edited by zero (2008-06-15 11:08:15)
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Re: Marketing TXP
one thing i would change about txp is the logo.
-no offence to the designer. its just to stone age
:}
edited to say that -
There were some good points made about marketing. Weakness in branding is probably a reason some potential users overlook txp. I think the online documentation, forum and website are fine just less flashy than the others I’ve seen.
Last edited by kvnmcwebn (2008-06-14 13:07:02)
its a bad hen that wont scratch itself.
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Re: Marketing TXP
The carver image is well-established, instantly recognizable and has lasted for thousands of years :) Although I don’t know why they should want to do so, perhaps an artist could restyle it slightly, but replacing it altogether would seem like a fashion statement, imho, and it would need replacing again in a year or two.
As for my improved idea I am still surprised that nobody has commented, especially the devs. Here you have someone trying to help and you are ignoring him and not replying to emails. It has happened many times before and I have always been prepared to make allowances but there is only so much rejection a person can take.
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#32 2008-06-15 12:19:15
- uli
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- From: Cologne
- Registered: 2006-08-15
- Posts: 4,304
Re: Marketing TXP
Hi Peter,
I completely understand your bitterness. You spent so much time for all your thoughts, came up with new ideas, helped in so many ways at so many places, that it’s rather harsh of the devs to not even show the smallest of reaction now.
I don’t know who exactly is responsible for this blunder, maybe it’s just that somebody thinks this is another person’s responsibility, but at the moment I tend to see it your way. Don’t feel too bad, though, even if the devs don’t seem to, there are people who esteem what you’re doing.
Kind regards
Uli
In bad weather I never leave home without wet_plugout, smd_where_used and adi_form_links
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Re: Marketing TXP
Thanks for the encouragement, Uli. Much appreciated. I’m not bitter and I hope I don’t become bitter. I’m confused more than anything. Firstly because the devs would seem to be shooting themselves in the foot if they don’t do something to increase visibility. Secondly, because I’ve had no feedback re the idea. I realise I am attached to the idea and probably have a blind spot stopping me seeing something obvious about it that is wrong or misses the point or something like that. I quite expect it will need improving and am even prepared for it turning out to be stupid, but when there is no feedback or discussion, and when nobody else is coming up with any other ideas to increase visibility (apart from suggestions re textpattern.com), well, I am left confused and disappointed.
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Re: Marketing TXP
Aaah, it’s probably just a typical “techy” thing: “I do the programming – it’s someone’s job to sell the product..!”
Keith
Blyth, Northumberland, England
Capture The Moment
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Re: Marketing TXP
zero wrote:
nobody else is coming up with any other ideas to increase visibility (apart from suggestions re textpattern.com), well, I am left confused and disappointed.
Don’t be – I bet I’m not alone as a “lay” Txper in giving this a lot of thought at the moment …
Keith
Blyth, Northumberland, England
Capture The Moment
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Re: Marketing TXP
zero wrote:
Firstly because the devs would seem to be shooting themselves in the foot if they don’t do something to increase visibility.
Peter, it ain’t anything personal, try to understand. We like your thoughts :)
Remember that Textpattern is open source and free. It’s a hobby, not a selling thing. Most programmers and developers do what they do, because they just love it more than anything in the world. But the coding is what they like, they do it because the love, but marketing isn’t coding, it just ain’t the hobby :)
What about if they don’t want a big fame, most coders don’t want it. They have life, work and then the hobby – the non-work coding project, like TXP or xPattern in example. Some folks code Linuxes for fun, like some microsoft programmer could do, not for money neither for fame, but because they like it. They don’t market it, they just do it, nothing else is important :)
Open Source is a idealist – makes world better, it should not be about money nor marketing, but about making it better ^^
Last edited by Gocom (2008-06-15 13:44:42)
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