SWOT Summary

Strengths

Credentials — SSC has been playing in the Unix zone for a long time, and in the Linux space nearly since the beginning.
Connections — Between various folks at LJ, we know everybody. Phil is a card-carrying member of the Open Source Fraternity (the group invited to the OSI's Summit). And at the recent Summit, Doc helped drive OSI's agenda. Both have a good relationship with Eric Raymond, who is singlehandedly driving the Open Source conversation.
Integrity — LJ is the only pub with a deep and abiding relationship with The Linux Movement.
Originality — "Premier" might be the right promotional word for the magazine's slogan; but "original" would be more accurate. In both senses of the word.
Association — Linux is the hottest subject in business right now, bar none. Tom Petzinger of The Wall Street Journal says Linux is "the biggest subject I've ever seen. It multiplies exponentially every day."

Drive — The company shows a will to grow gradually and thrive as a modest business; but it does not appear to have the highly adrenalized drive needed immediately to take command of the Linux conversation.
Focus — SSC needs an extremely tight focus on Linux and Open Source right now; but the focus is diffused. BeOS magazine might be a good opportunity on its own grounds, but it is almost completely off the hot topics of Linux and Open Source. In fact, a case could be made that it compromises both.
Money — The company is beautifully bootstrapped, but it will need a large cash infusion to start competing with the Big Boys who are sure to do something in this space, ASAP.
Manpower — SSC has great people; just not enough of them to take advantage of all the opportunities.
.com Power — Companies — especially publishing companies — are known by their Web sites. SSC has a bunch of partially-built Web sites, and the scaffolding shows on all of them.

The godzillas are distracted. The only thing keeping Ziff, IDG and the other majors from launching a print Linux magazine is the rapid overall decline in computer trade print advertising. This has kept any and all of them from flattening LJ. So Bambi still has a chance. But time-wise, it's a short one. It's hard to imagine one or more of these guys not doing something soon.
Many topical bases are still uncovered.
Investors are extremely interested. John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins is at the top of the list. This guy is a god among us, and he wants to talk about how we can "drive the whole open source conversation." This fact should displace (or at least re-prioritize) all other conversations within SSC.