Re: [boost] [web site] Marketing - another try

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-07-07 16:43:08

"Beman Dawes" <bdawes_at_[hidden]> writes:

>>  I agree with Rob Stewart when he says
>> that
>>
>>  Much of the background.html information should be on the home
>>  page {and much of the index.htm information should be on a
>>  different page}.  My point is that the home page should sell Boost
>>  to visitors.  They don't need all of the background.html
>>  information at once, but you have to hook them.
>>
>> Though I'm less sure about the part in braces.
>
> I don't know what to say. Some people want the material one place,
> some another.

I understand.  But it seems that most of those who want the material
relegated to another page feel uncomfortable about the whole idea of
promoting Boost in the first place, and you've attempted to compromise
between the various points of view.  I'm not in favor of
half-measures.  I say, either we decide that we're going to "let the
technology speak for itself" and just forget this idea, or we should
be serious about putting enough promotional material on the home page
to draw people in.  Nobody's going to visit a secondary page if the
home page doesn't get them interested.

>>  Also, I wonder if some of the information in the "background" page
>> doesn't belong on our FAQ?
>
> Perhaps. But the FAQ tends to be more factual and less marketing oriented. 
> As it should be, IMO.

Well, some of that background information is really FAQtual, IMO.  I
suggest at least reading through the FAQ and comparing the questions
there with what's on your background page.  When I did that, to me
they didn't seem to have very distinct purposes or domains.

>>> Indirectly, most organization are probably already Boost users via
>>> programs which internally use Boost, like Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0.
>>
>> What does this have to do with "Why should an organization use Boost?"
>
> It is an attempt to show that Boost isn't something scary that
> causes your computer to melt down.

I think the connection is a little too obtuse.  Maybe 

  Isn't Boost full of scary Bleeding-Edge Technology?

  No.  Boost is an established tool in mainstream software
  development.  Popular programs like Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 use
  Boost internally, so you may already be using Boost indirectly.
  Boost library authors apply advanced C++ techniques when doing so
  can make their interfaces more powerful and easier to use.  We
  manage complexity so that *your* code can be simpler and more
  elegant.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com