[CMake] CMake Marketing

[Brandon J. Van Every]

Miguel A. Figueroa-Villanueva wrote:

>
> So, I guess my point is that given the fact that there are other, 
> apparently (i haven't tried them) similar, tools like CMake exist 
> (e.g., Jam, BJam, SCons, ...), it might be a good idea to stress the 
> advantages in context with CTest/Dart.

On the other hand, it is a distinct pitch that requires much more 
thought and resource committment than CMake alone.  The barrier to 
conversion is much higher.  I came to CMake from a "geez I need a build 
tool, and Autoconf sucks" standpoint.  For my Chicken Scheme building 
needs, the only viable competitor was SCons.  Actually there is still a 
guy working on a Chicken SCons, but CMake is what got the official 
blessing for the build.  Anyways, my point is, I could not have 
initially sold these guys on a whole constellation of tools.  I think it 
is better to sell 1 tool that gets one's foot in the door.

Of course, that foot could very well be CTest/Dart.  I just think it 
probably should be a distinct marketing effort.  Overlapping, but the 
crowd that wants "something like Autoconf that works cross-platform" is 
not identical to the crowd that wants a CTest/Dart.

Of course we can hash out these things on a marketing mailing list, once 
we have a name.  :-)  Personally, I prefer either marketing at cmake.org or 
guerilla at cmake.org.  The latter is intended to describe the kind of 
marketing we have in mind, and has a bit of "WIRED cool" about it.  
Except, erm, of course, WIRED isn't cool anymore.  But it used to be!


Cheers,
Brandon Van Every
When no one else sells courage, supply and demand take hold.