<div dir="ltr">Amen to that, blender should be agnostic and let the users create their own <br>communities :)<br><br>Cheerio,<br><br>Jorge<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 4:59 PM, Ton Roosendaal <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ton@blender.org">ton@blender.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Hi David,<br>
<br>
Although I agree our website can offer much better info and structure<br>
for new users, I don't think that's the target of this mailing list<br>
(this is for educators and trainers support!).<br>
<br>
There are cool hints in your text below we can look at further<br>
(hopefully we get a web team back to work more actively on typo3 cms).<br>
Several of your ideas will make it easier to browse the site.<br>
<br>
However, what I don't like is the "community" approach. I don't want to<br>
treat <a href="http://blender.org" target="_blank">blender.org</a> visitors (or Blender users) that way. The only<br>
community <a href="http://blender.org" target="_blank">blender.org</a> approaches is the very small minority of "those<br>
who want to be involved" (devs, documenters, educators, etc). For the<br>
rest of the 100s of thousands of users, the website should be neutral<br>
and objective and informative, without bull or marketing stuff, no<br>
banners, no forms, no registration, no polls, no personal messages from<br>
the boss, nothing that leads them away from the main reason they are on<br>
our site: to download Blender and/or learn more about it.<br>
<br>
Next to that: we always should treat users as professionals, as artists<br>
with a serious interest in 3d creation. Hobbyists and amateurs prefer<br>
to be treated as such as well.<br>
<br>
Also: it works very well to have many communities *around* <a href="http://blender.org" target="_blank">blender.org</a><br>
(such as <a href="http://blenderartists.org" target="_blank">blenderartists.org</a> or <a href="http://blendernation.com" target="_blank">blendernation.com</a>). Those communities<br>
are best served with a very neutral unbiased <a href="http://blender.org" target="_blank">blender.org</a>.<br>
<br>
@ Roger: we shouldn't add registrations or polls on the site to learn<br>
our demography better. David's trick (get stats for different pages) is<br>
much nicer.<br>
<br>
@ all: I am seriously not interested in getting more users. Let's just<br>
work on getting Blender better, improve our docs, arrange better<br>
training material, etc. Or in short, make sure we get better users! :)<br>
<br>
-Ton-<br>
<div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
On 9 Aug, 2008, at 15:05, <a href="mailto:DavidHickson@gmail.com">DavidHickson@gmail.com</a> wrote:<br>
<br>
><br>
> Hey, all<br>
> I have prepared this SWOT analysis to assist Blender in both<br>
> identifying the needs of users and helping people find what the are<br>
> looking for as far as specific direction in learning more about<br>
> Blender and Blender's community. It will also help identify who is<br>
> using Blender and at what level.<br>
><br>
> I think this method of data collection and the information that can be<br>
> obtained from it can be very useful to Blender and very helpful to<br>
> potential users.<br>
><br>
> I am looking for some feed back. I am willing to assist in creating<br>
> the pages and videos and have other that would be interested in<br>
> helping.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Breaking the Ice and Blending up a Better image.<br>
><br>
> Introduction: I have been a Blender user for over 2 years now and have<br>
> learned slowly about the community aspect of Blender. During this time<br>
> I have been lucky enough to meet a lot of great people and learn a<br>
> tremendous amount about the program and the community.<br>
><br>
> It has been my experience that new users, hobbyists, part timers and<br>
> even potential professional studios may be falling between the cracks.<br>
> they have specific questions they want answers for and it can take a<br>
> while to get those answers, too much time. Blender needs to build an<br>
> image like "Here at Blender remember one thing, the Blender community<br>
> is listening."<br>
><br>
> I don't have to explain what the Open Source Movement (OSM) is to any<br>
> of you. We all know what it is and how it works. But ask yourself,<br>
> does everyone that Downloads Blender know what they have? What they<br>
> have become a part of?<br>
><br>
> This is a great time to be alive! I mean this in the most honest<br>
> sense of the phrase. Think about it, no longer do people with similar<br>
> interests have to live in same geographical location, or even country<br>
> to become a community. I have met truer friends in the Blender<br>
> community than those I have met in my local community.<br>
><br>
> Blender is so much more than just an independent effort, so why<br>
> should learning it be? Ok, some may say there is IRC and Blender has<br>
> tons of tutorials and manuals. I will be honest, I didn't buy the<br>
> manual because I was waiting for the newest release.... still seem to<br>
> be waiting for that. Point here is that Blender's developers make<br>
> changes much faster than commercial applications and as such, a<br>
> printed manual is out of date by the time it becomes available. As for<br>
> IRC, that can be hit or miss but, it is the closest thing to what I<br>
> imagine learning will become. As far as Blenders tutorial library, it<br>
> is huge. Much to big to find it very efficient. Wiki is ok, but that<br>
> too is not perfect.<br>
><br>
> Problem Statement: There is little to no solid information about who<br>
> is downloading Blender. What there needs are or what they would like<br>
> to learn or how they learn.<br>
><br>
> Suggestion: Rewrite the welcome page to be more of a "welcome to the<br>
> community". Not just a, "welcome to Blender, good luck learning".<br>
><br>
> Things to include:<br>
><br>
> • Generic opening welcome message "Welcome to the Blender<br>
> Community". Outline the importance of the community and that everyone<br>
> has a role not matter what level they are at.<br>
> • Then add links as follows: (head)"Blender understands time is<br>
> crucial, so to get start you can get a specific introduction tour<br>
> designed just for you, just select one of the links below. (/head)<br>
> • . New to 3D?- Moving to Blender (New to Blender)- Studios-<br>
> Developers<br>
> • ◦ New to 3D (content) (insert video here)<br>
> ▪ Lets talk (lead in to showing an understanding of new users and<br>
> that they are the fundamental part of Blender)<br>
> ▪ Basics about 3D<br>
> ▪ What Blender can do<br>
> ▪ Open the door to a fun new community<br>
> ▪ Best resources<br>
> ◦ Moving to Blender (content) (insert video here)<br>
> ▪ Introduction to those to talk to when and where<br>
> ▪ Examples of differences between Max and Bender<br>
> ▪ Learning curve<br>
> ▪ Examples of Modeling done with Blender<br>
> ▪ Emphasis on Power, speed and cost<br>
> ◦ Studios (content) (insert video here)<br>
> ▪ Emphasis on Power, speed and cost cutting methods<br>
> ▪ Benefits of Open source<br>
> ▪ What other studios have learned about Blender (testimonials)<br>
> ◦ Developers (content) (insert video here)<br>
> ▪ Great way to learn<br>
> ▪ Great team to work with<br>
> ▪ What others have done after writing for Blender<br>
> ▪ More stuff here if I knew more about the Dev community<br>
><br>
> Strengths:<br>
> • More new users (when they feel like a part of the whole they will<br>
> stay)<br>
> • Better statics about users (by keeping track of what links are<br>
> clicked through will provide usable data on demographics)<br>
> • Identify weak areas and improve (are most people down loading new<br>
> to 3D or coming from studios)<br>
> • More Blender exposer (more word of mouth. If someone asks a<br>
> question they will get pointed to the video pages) <br>
> • Helpful and informative to people before they even download<br>
> Blender<br>
> • Can increase user Base and satisfaction<br>
> • Open the eyes of individuals and studios that might interested<br>
> but not motivated enough to contact Ton.<br>
> • Page should have a message from Ton either recorded or typed<br>
> thanking people for their interest<br>
> • No better way to welcome people to a community than, to welcome<br>
> them.<br>
><br>
> Weakness:<br>
> • Keeping this page current will take resources<br>
> (I have volunteers that will make the videos)<br>
> • Band width at Blender may get pushed a bit hard then usual.<br>
> • May be frustrating to power users if they just want the facts<br>
> (although some text can be offered, and no one is forced to watch the<br>
> videos, they are just offered)<br>
> • This videos can become dated and would have to be kept up to date<br>
> and current.<br>
><br>
> Opportunity:<br>
> • Learn more about those interested in Blender<br>
> • Show Blender is Listening to the community and focused on their<br>
> needs<br>
> • Learn more about how they heard of Blender<br>
> • Understand what the needs are and what they want to get out of<br>
> Blender<br>
> • Grow the community<br>
> • Give the community additional adhesion.<br>
> • Open the door to asking questions of interested to nonmembers of<br>
> the community.<br>
> • Build this to be a model that other OSS projects will mirror to<br>
> grow their communities.<br>
><br>
> Threats:<br>
> • Get the wrong message out about Blender (can be a risk)<br>
> • Up set the community by portraying Blender in with a different<br>
> image<br>
> • Make Blender look like it is going commercial<br>
> • Being on the front line of an effort like this can have some<br>
> level of risk I have over looked.<br>
><br>
> Alternatives:<br>
> • Do nothing and let the community remain the way it is and miss<br>
> out on learning about the people interested in Blender.<br>
> • Implement a re pore with new users that will allow them to tell<br>
> Blender about themselves<br>
> • implement a text only web page that welcomes users and doesn't <br>
> divide users by interests<br>
><br>
><br>
> Example of Generic Welcome page: (I would be glad to build a mock<br>
> page to show this all in action if needed)<br>
><br>
> Blender is Listening!<br>
> This section of Blender is a way for new users and professionals to<br>
> learn more about Blender and what it has to offer. Blender is a<br>
> powerful 3D suit of tools that allows you to take a concept right<br>
> through to completion. But more than that Blender is a community of<br>
> like minded individuals that share one objective, to be heard! We<br>
> speak through images to our audiences, we create therefor we are!<br>
><br>
><br>
> This section is designed to also help everyone under stand how the<br>
> Blender community works and shares. New users can get the most up to<br>
> date learning tools at there finger tips. Advanced users can now get a<br>
> tour geared just for them. And those of you in studio environments<br>
> have special needs that can be addressed also.<br>
><br>
><br>
> I am looking for feed back.<br>
><br>
</div></div>> _______________________________________________<br>
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><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<font color="#888888">--<br>
Ton Roosendaal Blender Foundation <a href="mailto:ton@blender.org">ton@blender.org</a><br>
<a href="http://www.blender.org" target="_blank">http://www.blender.org</a><br>
<br>
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</font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Jorge Otero<br>Senior Lecturer | Visual Communication<br>Raffles Design Institute<br><br><a href="http://www.raffles-design-institute.edu.sg">http://www.raffles-design-institute.edu.sg</a><br>
</div>