16 Oct
1999
16 Oct
'99
5:03 a.m.
While trying to figure out how to reach more PDP-11 users with my
freeware archives
(immodest plug: See
http://www.trailing-edge.com/www/freeware.html
for information about the PDP-11 freeware CD's and FTP sites with
PDP-11 freeware)
it occured to me that I've only been using two methods of announcing
availability: this (Classiccmp) mailing list and Usenet newsgroups
specific to PDP-11's.
It's obvious that these methods of reaching classic computer
users hit only a small fraction of active PDP-11 users.
There's what, maybe a couple of dozen frequent participants in this
mailing list, and the number of regular posters on vmsnet.pdp-11 can
be counted on two hands.
Is there a better way of reaching a wider audience of classic computer
users? In particular, folks who don't read technical Usenet discussion
groups and who haven't happened upon this specific mailing list.
Or, even in this "connected" world that we live in, is there no better
way of reaching what I know is a very broad base of classic computer
users out there?
One idea that has crossed my mind, but I don't know if there's any way
to pull it off: There are obviously lots of "collectors" on E-bay who have
little connection with our reality of using classic computers. Is there
no way at all of reaching these folks? I don't mean preaching to them,
but at least tying them together into a broader knowledge base than the
wheeling and dealing on E-bay.
--
Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com
Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/
7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917
Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927
16 Oct
16 Oct
5:34 a.m.
it occured to me that I've only been using two
methods of announcing
availability: this (Classiccmp) mailing list and Usenet newsgroups
specific to PDP-11's.
One idea that has crossed my mind, but I don't know
if there's any way
to pull it off: There are obviously lots of "collectors" on E-bay who have
Between newsgroups and this list you have informed a number of people who
tend to blab, so lots more get key information.
Ebay is simple, put some up for auction. Its an AD.
5:46 a.m.
Well I see that just about every computer-related section on eBay has an
entry for "Computer mini-vacuum only $14.99". I guess that if you have the
time to develop a script that reposts your item (read "advertisement") to
dozens of sections every week, for supposed auction, then eBay doesn't
mind. Personally I find this sort of ad irritating.
One could do this to advertise classic computer web pages or mailing lists
but it wouldn't make a very good impression.
Kevin
--
Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca
8:28 a.m.
It's obvious that these methods of reaching classic
computer
users hit only a small fraction of active PDP-11 users.
There's what, maybe a couple of dozen frequent participants in this
mailing list, and the number of regular posters on vmsnet.pdp-11 can
be counted on two hands.
Is there anyway to get the word out via DECUS? Though I doubt many us that
are PDP-11 users are DECUS members, unless they're also OpenVMS users. The
problem here being that if you're both I see it as being a good chance
you're already having seen the announcement on either the newsgroups, or
CLASSICCMP.
Is there a better way of reaching a wider audience of
classic computer
users? In particular, folks who don't read technical Usenet discussion
groups and who haven't happened upon this specific mailing list.
Or, even in this "connected" world that we live in, is there no better
way of reaching what I know is a very broad base of classic computer
users out there?
The problem I see here is that a lot of these people are likely to be
maintainers with fairly static systems. Their systems do what they want,
and they don't have any compelling reason to change. As such they're not
activelly looking for information. Probably the best way to reach these
people would be word of mouth.
One idea that has crossed my mind, but I don't know
if there's any way
to pull it off: There are obviously lots of "collectors" on E-bay who have
little connection with our reality of using classic computers. Is there
no way at all of reaching these folks? I don't mean preaching to them,
but at least tying them together into a broader knowledge base than the
wheeling and dealing on E-bay.
Well, as has been mentioned as a rather 'tacky' way to do it, put one/some
up on eBay, and include a link to the web page you've got on the CD-R's.
Then have a link on that page to other PDP-11 resources, make sure these
are all non-commercial resources though.
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
18 Oct
18 Oct
4:07 a.m.
At 10:03 AM 10/16/99 -0400, CLASSICCMP(a)trailing-edge.com wrote:
While trying to figure out how to reach more PDP-11
users with my
freeware archives
http://www.trailing-edge.com/www/freeware.html
for information about the PDP-11 freeware CD's and FTP sites with
PDP-11 freeware)
Place routine, fixed-price auctions on eBay and other auction sites
to sell your CD. Include links to your home page and a description
of what you do within the HTML of the auction description.
Improving your page's rating in the search engines might help, too.
Send out a press release to the DEC-related magazines, collector
magazines, Dr. Dobbs, programmer magazines, etc.
Is there a Classic Computer Collector web ring?
I, too, have noticed that the search engines have gotten very far
behind in indexing new pages. I've submitted pages and they've
simply never showed up, and even the submission pages warn that
it may be *months* before they index your page. What good is that?
Plenty of irrelevant spam pages seem to be there, no doubt in a
never-ending cat-and-mouse game. We can only guess at the rules
for rejecting pages.
- John
9040
days inactive
9042
days old
4 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com -
healyzh＠aracnet.com -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
mcquiggi＠sfu.ca -
mikeford＠socal.rr.com