From letterrip at gmail.com Sat Apr 1 09:04:50 2006 From: letterrip at gmail.com (Tom M) Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 21:04:50 -1000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] some ideas from firefox Message-ID: <584fe5640603312304mb0db817s22b5eaac3f8f1ddf@mail.gmail.com> I was reading the 'spreadfirefox site', and it brought some ideas that we will need to handle (mostly not the marketing team but...) 1) Blender Store and possibly main site internationalization 2) Internationalization of the quickstart guide For promotion purposes 1) Creation of buttons of various size so that individuals can link back to Blender and and obvious place to download the buttons from See the firefox versions here - http://www.spreadfirefox.com/node?from=45 note that the buttons have some variations of the primary color and size to better fit into various site designs. 2) Flyers available for download that people can use to promote Blender by posting them on campuses and such http://lachy.id.au/dev/mozilla/firefox/campaign/ 3) ISO containing Blender - plus 'show off' materials' - plus all needed learning and tutorial blender materials to start out - these can be burned and then given to decisions makers for various areas. For contents I'd recommend the Blender Movie, the Siggraph Demo real, JoOngles coming workflow demo video, and possibly see about the three Blender Magazines that have been published recently (depends on the license they have for them...). I'd also like to create a standard 1, 2, or 3 hour training course that any modestly experienced Blender user can teach. These would be fairly small and self contained (I mentioned this on the edu or docboard list) - a few possibilities are - taking a premade head and modifying it; using premade models for a space animation; a prerigged head for face and expression animation; or creation of simple objects. A competition/rewards system for spreading Blender - ie points for each course taught; for each instructor that contacts Blender Foundation; for translation work; for creation of cool stuff that helps promote Blender. What are your thoughts? LetterRip From letterrip at gmail.com Fri Apr 7 10:59:53 2006 From: letterrip at gmail.com (Tom M) Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 22:59:53 -1000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] shareware sites? Message-ID: <584fe5640604070159g64e3ebabh6b38f14165d6e32c@mail.gmail.com> Should we try and get Blender on shareware sites? I've done some checking there are many hundered sites, although most are probably fairly low traffic. There is a tool called Aid Submission, which is 99$ but gives you one free trial submission of 420 sites (its business model is to do autoform filling etc. and to keep its site list up to date...) Also there is a standardized XML file called PAD format which describes all that the various sites need to know about the software, also there is a free utility for creating PAD compliant files. It might worthwhile to submit the free trial test for the above, and perhaps keep some of the prominent shareware and review sites updated. LetterRip From ton at blender.org Fri Apr 7 11:18:11 2006 From: ton at blender.org (Ton Roosendaal) Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 11:18:11 +0200 Subject: [Bf-marketing] shareware sites? In-Reply-To: <584fe5640604070159g64e3ebabh6b38f14165d6e32c@mail.gmail.com> References: <584fe5640604070159g64e3ebabh6b38f14165d6e32c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Hi, Shareware has a very bad name in opensource world. Shareware websites too. And outfilling software I would stay away from at all costs. The Blender website gets attacked by such programs too, which is extremely annoying. I don't think there's a problem with our distribution model (apart from a more efficient way to manage mirrors, but that's technical). What we could do though is a shortlist of some quality websites to make sure Blender is listed uptodate there. That includes sites like sun.com/sgi.com/apple.com but also versiontracker.com or download.com. That's just manual work we can put on the release scenario list as todo. -Ton- On 7 Apr, 2006, at 10:59, Tom M wrote: > Should we try and get Blender on shareware sites? > > I've done some checking there are many hundered sites, although most > are probably fairly low traffic. > > There is a tool called Aid Submission, which is 99$ but gives you one > free trial submission of 420 sites (its business model is to do > autoform filling etc. and to keep its site list up to date...) > > Also there is a standardized XML file called PAD format which > describes all that the various sites need to know about the software, > also there is a free utility for creating PAD compliant files. > > It might worthwhile to submit the free trial test for the above, and > perhaps keep some of the prominent shareware and review sites updated. > > LetterRip > _______________________________________________ > Bf-marketing mailing list > Bf-marketing at blender.org > http://projects.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-marketing > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Ton Roosendaal Blender Foundation ton at blender.org http://www.blender.org From letterrip at gmail.com Fri Apr 7 11:50:59 2006 From: letterrip at gmail.com (Tom M) Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 23:50:59 -1000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] shareware sites? In-Reply-To: References: <584fe5640604070159g64e3ebabh6b38f14165d6e32c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <584fe5640604070250r7c124afap55e6f46ecf9ddc55@mail.gmail.com> > Shareware has a very bad name in opensource world. Shareware websites > too. I agree that shareware sites have a bad reputation in general, but they are also a location where a lot of less savy users go to find software. > And outfilling software I would stay away from at all costs. The > Blender website gets attacked by such programs too, which is extremely > annoying. While I agree that autofill software generally is not good to use, I believe this software is actually an exception. This key difference is that it is using an industry standard that the shareware sites have jointly specified for the submission process. Also it is apparently on good terms with the sites themselves. \ > I don't think there's a problem with our distribution model (apart from > a more efficient way to manage mirrors, but that's technical). It isn't the distribution that is of interest but instead just additional marketing capacity. Right now we market almost exclusively to existing 3D users and existing open source advocates. Shareware sites are an entirely different market demographic. For instance download.com has logged 1,237 downloads since 03/16/2006 and 259 downloads this week. While most shareware sites have much smaller user bases it still might be worth considering. > What we could do though is a shortlist of some quality websites to make sure > Blender is listed uptodate there. Certainly. > That includes sites like sun.com/sgi.com/apple.com but also > versiontracker.com or download.com. That's just manual work we can put > on the release scenario list as todo. a good idea LetterRip From jlp at nerim.net Fri Apr 7 19:38:52 2006 From: jlp at nerim.net (=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Jean-Luc_Peuri=E8re?=) Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 19:38:52 +0200 Subject: [Bf-marketing] shareware sites? In-Reply-To: References: <584fe5640604070159g64e3ebabh6b38f14165d6e32c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6ACC5126-81D8-4314-980B-8D0FDA9E97E3@nerim.net> Le 7 avr. 06 ? 11:18, Ton Roosendaal a ?crit : > Hi, > > Shareware has a very bad name in opensource world. Shareware > websites too. And outfilling software I would stay away from at all > costs. The Blender website gets attacked by such programs too, > which is extremely annoying. > > I don't think there's a problem with our distribution model (apart > from a more efficient way to manage mirrors, but that's technical). > What we could do though is a shortlist of some quality websites to > make sure Blender is listed uptodate there. > That includes sites like sun.com/sgi.com/apple.com but also > versiontracker.com or download.com. That's just manual work we can > put on the release scenario list as todo. version tracker is ususally updated at most 2 day after release, at least for the mac version (forgotten to check for 2.41 though). I consider this to be part of my release todo -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From postmaster at hamsterking.com Sat Apr 15 03:43:49 2006 From: postmaster at hamsterking.com (Tommy Helgevold) Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 01:43:49 +0000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] Google summer of code 2006 Message-ID: <200604150143.50025.postmaster@hamsterking.com> They're back and there are candidates for Google's summer of code - 2006 - but I didn't see Blender amongst these. Any take on potential participants? Maybe spread the word amongst the coders: http://code.google.com/soc/ /JoOngle From letterrip at gmail.com Sat Apr 15 02:12:16 2006 From: letterrip at gmail.com (Tom M) Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 14:12:16 -1000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] Google summer of code 2006 In-Reply-To: <200604150143.50025.postmaster@hamsterking.com> References: <200604150143.50025.postmaster@hamsterking.com> Message-ID: <584fe5640604141712p6c9b9facx90ee370b6546346f@mail.gmail.com> JoOngle, Blender plans on applying.- I'm creating a list of potential projects (not official just suggestions), partially based on my 'goals for siggraph' page. I'll email it to bf-marketing later today. I think theeth, zr, and brecht all might apply. Not sure who is willing to mentor this year. Probably something to discuss at the next meeting. LetterRip On 4/14/06, Tommy Helgevold wrote: > They're back and there are candidates > for Google's summer of code - 2006 - but I didn't > see Blender amongst these. > > Any take on potential participants? > Maybe spread the word amongst the coders: > > http://code.google.com/soc/ > > /JoOngle > _______________________________________________ > Bf-marketing mailing list > Bf-marketing at blender.org > http://projects.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-marketing > From letterrip at gmail.com Sat Apr 15 21:53:34 2006 From: letterrip at gmail.com (Tom M) Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 09:53:34 -1000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] Fwd: [Bf-committers] Google SOC 2006 In-Reply-To: <584fe5640604151240l71432db2y41c572a2404a1a37@mail.gmail.com> References: <20060414195549.B5B251C149B@bserve2.blender.org> <1145062117.8262.3.camel@localhost.localdomain> <44408B81.7060805@ualberta.ca> <2db0570d7d40dfddb7b82881ae2d153c@blender.org> <44410A2A.4010103@ualberta.ca> <584fe5640604151240l71432db2y41c572a2404a1a37@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <584fe5640604151253j2a88927p4eb134b8cce5715d@mail.gmail.com> Here is the list of suggested projects ******************** I'd suggest we do a projects list, but with the following improvements - give pointers to 1) code that they would need to become familiar with 2) useful papers or implementations in other projects 3) encourage them to try compiling and familiarizing themselves with the code in advance (make sure our directions for downloading and compiling the code for various methods is up to date and accurate) 4) explain the general skill and knowledge level needed (need a fairly solid understanding of maths, etc). Here is a preliminary list that partialy implements my suggestions... no references to where to look in blender code yet LetterRip ******************** Multiresolution Sculpting **Open Source Reference implementations ** http://sharp3d.sourceforge.net/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page http://mediawiki.blender.org/index.php/BlenderDev/SculpMesh (and see bbrush script in Blender CVS) **Commercial reference implementations** Modo2 - video only http://www.luxology.com/modo/ Silo2 - video only http://www.nevercenter.com/ Hexagon2 - video only http://www.eovia.com/products/hexagon/hexagon.asp ZBrush http://pixologic.com/home/home.shtml Snapping Framework Dimensioning Multilayer projection painting **open source implementations** krita - http://www.koffice.org/krita/ GIMP - http://www.gimp.org/ GEGL - http://www.gegl.org/ **commercial implementations** Body Paint 3D - http://www.bodypaint3d.com/ Deep Paint 3D - http://www.righthemisphere.com/ ZBrush http://pixologic.com/home/home.shtml Modo2 - video only http://www.luxology.com/modo/ Hexagon2 - video only http://www.eovia.com/products/hexagon/hexagon.asp Hair styling tools **papers** http://www.cmlab.csie.ntu.edu.tw/publication/pdf/WSCG02_hair.pdf http://graphics.snu.ac.kr/research/hair/Choe_2005_TVCG.pdf http://graphics.usc.edu/cgit/pdf/papers/KIM_SIGGRAPH2002_SMALL.pdf **commercial implementations** http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/c4d/modules/hair/hair_e.html Face Animation **papers** http://research.animationsinstitut.de/ **commercial implementation** http://www.softimage.com/products/face_robot/default.aspx Volumetric Shading (Smoke, Flame) **papers** http://www.vrvis.at/via/resources/course-volgraphics-2004/ http://www-evasion.imag.fr/Publications/2005/AN05/paper0132.pdf **commercial implementations** http://www.areteis.com/products/maya/pyro/overview.htm http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/c4d/modules/pyrocluster/pyrocluster_e.html Matchmoving/Motion tracking **papers** http://www.cs.otago.ac.nz/research/vision/Research/OpticalFlow/opticalflow.html **open source implementations** RAVL - LGPL library http://ravl.sourceforge.net/ Tina LGPL http://www.tina-vision.net/ http://developer.tina-vision.net/osmia/docs/D1.1-review.pdf OpenCV - open source but not sure if GPL compatible? http://www.intel.com/technology/computing/opencv/coding_style/license.htm **commercial implementations** http://www.thepixelfarm.co.uk/ Voodoo Tracker http://www.digilab.uni-hannover.de/docs/manual.html#usage Science D Visions 3D equalizer http://www.sci-d-vis.com/ http://www.3dequalizer.com/ bojou http://www.2d3.com/jsp/index.jsp realviz http://www.realviz.com/ SynthEyes http://www.ssontech.com/mmove.htm From postmaster at hamsterking.com Sun Apr 16 02:51:05 2006 From: postmaster at hamsterking.com (Tommy Helgevold) Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2006 00:51:05 +0000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] Fwd: [Bf-committers] Google SOC 2006 In-Reply-To: <584fe5640604151253j2a88927p4eb134b8cce5715d@mail.gmail.com> References: <20060414195549.B5B251C149B@bserve2.blender.org> <584fe5640604151240l71432db2y41c572a2404a1a37@mail.gmail.com> <584fe5640604151253j2a88927p4eb134b8cce5715d@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <200604160051.05856.postmaster@hamsterking.com> That's a very good list Tom, By commercial implementation - do you mean for projects to implement file-format connections, translators etc. or do you mean "similar-features" ? /Tommy On Saturday 15 April 2006 19:53, Tom M wrote: > **commercial implementations** > Body Paint 3D - http://www.bodypaint3d.com/ > Deep Paint 3D - http://www.righthemisphere.com/ > ZBrush http://pixologic.com/home/home.shtml > Modo2 - video only http://www.luxology.com/modo/ > Hexagon2 - video only http://www.eovia.com/products/hexagon/hexagon.asp > > Hair styling tools > **papers** > http://www.cmlab.csie.ntu.edu.tw/publication/pdf/WSCG02_hair.pdf > http://graphics.snu.ac.kr/research/hair/Choe_2005_TVCG.pdf > http://graphics.usc.edu/cgit/pdf/papers/KIM_SIGGRAPH2002_SMALL.pdf > > **commercial implementations** > http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/c4d/modules/hair/hair_e.html > > Face Animation > **papers** > http://research.animationsinstitut.de/ > > **commercial implementation** > http://www.softimage.com/products/face_robot/default.aspx From letterrip at gmail.com Sun Apr 16 01:51:45 2006 From: letterrip at gmail.com (Tom M) Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 13:51:45 -1000 Subject: [Bf-marketing] Fwd: [Bf-committers] Google SOC 2006 In-Reply-To: <200604160051.05856.postmaster@hamsterking.com> References: <20060414195549.B5B251C149B@bserve2.blender.org> <584fe5640604151240l71432db2y41c572a2404a1a37@mail.gmail.com> <584fe5640604151253j2a88927p4eb134b8cce5715d@mail.gmail.com> <200604160051.05856.postmaster@hamsterking.com> Message-ID: <584fe5640604151651h3793f28du1d82cdb0bb68ff65@mail.gmail.com> I meant similar features - ie ideas to look at from other programs that were done well, LetterRip On 4/15/06, Tommy Helgevold wrote: > That's a very good list Tom, > > By commercial implementation - do you mean for projects to > implement file-format connections, translators etc. or do you > mean "similar-features" ? >