User:Ankursinha/Fedora Media Distribution Draft

Discussion
This is a draft. Please use the "discussion" section for any comments.

Channels (in order of priority)

The method
We would prefer that a person requesting media goes through these channels in the order mentioned below. However, the final decision depends on the user depending upon what is most convenient to him/her. Foe example, some one might prefer going out to an event and collecting media, while another might prefer staying at home and waiting for it in the mail.

• Download
• Fedora/Linux events
• Local Contacts (in Person)
• Local Contacts (by Mail)
• Buy from vendors
• Free media

Rationale behind the priority order

A lot of folks have asked my what the reason behind this ordering is.

• We want a user who wants Fedora media to have the easiest and best experience possible. The channels are in an if () else if() order. So, the list would be read as :

iWantFedora()
{
    if (canDownload())
    {
        downloadFromWebsite();
    }
    else if(isLinuxEventNearbyFeaturingFedoraCurrentRelease() && canAttendEvent())
    {
        attendEvent & obtainMedia();
    }
    else if(isAnAmbassadorNearby())
    {
        contactAmbassador() & getACopyBurnt();
    }
    else if(canSendBlankMedia() && canPayForPostage())
    {
        contactLocalContact() & sendBlankMediaWithReturnPostage();
    }
    else if(canPurchaseOnline())
    {
        locateAVendor() & purchaseMedia();
    }
    else
    {
        requestFreeMedia();
    }
}

• The most convenient channel is obviously downloading. If you have the bandwidth, download it, burn it or put it on a pen drive (or however) and use it. Downloading requires no requesting, has minimum latency and costs least for most people.
• The other channels need more discussion. These are channels that we would like a user to follow. However, users really need to choose a channel depending upon their convenience. For example, a user might prefer to purchase media on line than request a Local Contact.

Detailed description of channels

Download

• Helper tool to easily select what to download and provide a link.
• A helper matrix for example?

Events

• Keep the list up to date.
• Already working pretty well.
• Any improvements?

Local Contacts (in person)

• We maintain a list of volunteers (people add their names to it).
• Contact an Ambassador.
• Get a time slot.
• Go get media burnt.
• Some place needed to maintain records.
  • A Wiki page?
  • Free media trac system? Ambassador opens a ticket himself?
  • A separate ticket system? Only for use by Ambassadors?

Local Contacts (by mail)

• Maintain a list of volunteers (people add their names to it)
• Contact Ambassador
• Send blank media and return envelope (or send money, whatever, to be decided by requester and Ambassador)
• Ambassador files a ticket, so we can maintain records.
  • We need to somehow be able to check that people do service the requests after receiving blank media.
  • How will this be implemented?
  • Only volunteers should be able to view info of requester.
  • make them a part of the free media group?
  • Needs discussion.

Buy from vendors

• Distribution/OnlineVendors
• Invite vendors, it's free marketing for them.
• Ping them once every quarter?
• Man power needed to do this (or a team)
  • Can we look to the marketing team for help? (This is marketing, isn't it?)
  • Once in 3 weeks (a suitable time period) we can have a thread and people will hopefully volunteer to check out some sites. Doesn't have to be a fixed team.
• We can announce an updated vendors list every quarter?
• Co-ordination with vendors will be needed (a specific ML that they can join?)

Free media

• Distribution/FreeMedia
• Servicing two tickets per month is requested of all volunteers.
• The media will be home made and does not need to have fancy labelling and the rest.
• If a volunteer wants, he can use an on line vendor and send someone media too. This is will be called the Sponsored Media program (Distribution/SponsoredMedia). This is not to be taken as a separate program. (Only Free media volunteers have access to the addresses)

Donations

• To be maintained by Susmit, Frank, Neville (the already appointed team?)
• Used for sponsored media (see above).
• Should the collected amount etc. be public? Ie, contributors should be able to look at a page to see the stats of donations?
  • Donations

Comment: I think that as we are dealing with money, we should be as transparent as possible. The first thing that people will wonder is how this money collected is converted to media, so we have to have kind of account records: incomes vs. expenses. Probably expenses linked to tickets. The second question may be is the whole money donated displayed? Shoul we print monthly activities of paypal account? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying some misuse of found has or will happened. Just playing devil's advocated. --Yn1v 19:10, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Comments
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People willing to work on this

We need more hands on board!
We need more folks to improve the distribution process. We need YOU!

• User:Ankursinha
• User:Arunprakash
• Add your name here!

TODO

• Tell other people that we are wanting to work on this.
• Check with board that we are to take over this.
• Check with others teams that may something to say/contribute