SSC/Linux Journal Growth Plan

Our goal is to establish SSC as the primary conversational platform for both the Linux technology and the Linux business conversations. These conversations will explode

Our strategy is to leverage the Linux technology conversation into the Linux business conversation by expanding Linux Journal and the various SSC Web sites into the following publications, Web sites and events:

Titles	Properties	Positions	Markets (conversations)	URLs	Status
Linux Journal	Monthly Magazine	Top Linux publication: the Linux version of Computerworld	Everybody with a Linux interest, especially techies	http://www.linuxjournal.com http://www.discuss.linuxjournal.com	Exists
Linux Tech Journal	Monthly Newsletter	Top Linux technology publication	Linux techies	http://www.linuxtechjournal.com	Proposed
Linux Business Journal	Monthly Magazine	Top Linux business publication	Linux suits	http://www.linuxbusinessjournal.com http://www.linuxforsuits.com	New
Linux Weekly News	Web site	Top Linux news site on the Web	Everybody with a Linux interest	http://www.lwn.net http://www.linuxweeklynews.com	Exists
Linux Resources	Web site	Top Linux resource site on the Web (fed by other sites)	Everybody who needs to know something about Linux & linux-related subjects	http://www.linuxresources.com	Exists
Linux Gazette	Web site	Top Linux buzz site on the Web	Everybody with a Linux interest	http://www.linuxgazette.com	Exists
Linux Frontier	Weblog	Top serious Linux Weblog site on the Web (Read about weblogs)	Everybody with an interest in the Linux leading edge	http://www.linuxfrontier.com	Proposed
Linux Buzz	Web site	Top Linux chat site on the Web	Everybody who wants to talk live about Linux	http://www.linuxbuzz.com	New
Linux Faire Series Linux UI Faire, Linux Development Faire, Linux Application Faire, etc.	Events	Leading topical Linux events	Everybody in any of the various Linux communties	http://www.linuxfaire.com	New

All the publications, sites and events would be four things —

1. Authoritative and serious (though good-humored) about Linux.
2. Involved in the Linux technology and/or business communities, which would provide a constant source of material for the various publications and sites.
3. Top-drawer in content and design.

All four would also be test and demonstration beds for demand-driven commercial messages (e.g. one-to-one and permission marketing). These would do to marketing what Linux does to operating systems: change the game completely.

Stage 1

1. Register these domain names —

• linuxtechjournal.com
• linuxbusinessjournal.com
• linuxinbusiness.com
• etuxx.com
• tuxbizniz.com
• linuxbizniz.com
• linuxconversation.com
• linuxbuzz.com
• linuxfaire.com
• linux247.com
• linuxfrontier.com (already obtained by Dave Winer and UserLand for co-use with SSC)
• ...and every other Linux business and tech journal name that's still available.

1. Partner with Dave Winer and UserLand to drive various Linux conversations on the Web. Dave recommends creating a new company, co-owned by UserLand and SSC, called Linux Frontier. Its first job should be to create a discussion site for Linux Journal. Make UserLand's Eric Kidd a contributing editor to Linux Journal. This is ready to go live immediately.
2. Drive publicity about moves SSC is beginning to make.

Schedule: By July 1

Stage 2

1. Acquire Linux Weekly News and put Jonathan Corbet in charge of all Linux Journal news sites and news-related activities (including the new "Kernels" news section in Linux Journal).
2. Obtain VA Linux Systems sponsorship for Linux Tech Journal and its Web site, then begin staffing and organizing the publication — a >$500/year newsletter devoted to important Linux technical issues and targetted at the Linux Vendor and large customer communities. This has already been proposed informally by Larry Augustin. We might want to add Red Hat as a sponsor.
3. Acquire CoSource, Bernie Thompson's new project, which creates a real (i.e. paid) marketplace for Linux and other open source development. It's an extremely powerful idea that is also expressed by O'Reilly's new sourceXchange project. If O'Reilly can have its own development market, why can't SSC. It only makes sense. Read more about both here in Linux Resources.
4. Begin to articulate new Linux-oriented and Open Source-oriented business models that SSC will pioneer. Three key pieces:
   • The demand message market as a whole new publication business strategy.
   • Direct-debit automatic billing subscriptions, such as those used by British publisher Felix Dennis (see here).
   • Linux and Open Source develpment markets that bring readers and advertisers together for commercial purposes.
5. Prepare a business plan and presentation for potential funding sources.
6. Create the following offices and begin recruitment to fill positions immediately (some candidates are listed):
   • Chairman — Phil Hughes
   • CEO — TBD
   • President — Doc Searls
   • CFO — TBD
   • CTO — Eric Raymond
   • VP Sales & Marketing — TBD
   • VP Operations — TBD
   • Editor in Chief (for all pubs) — TBD
7. Begin looking for office space in Silicon Valley.
8. Acquire angel or first-round venture financing for SSC expansion. Shoot for $1-2 million.
9. Begin serious conversations with venture groups. Candidates:
   • John Doerr and Ted Schlein, Kleiner Perkins
   • David Best, W.R. Hambrecht
   • Cristine Comaford, Artemis Ventures
   • Giles McNamee, Hambrecht & Quist
   • Stewart Alsop, New Enterprise Associates
10. Keep what works about LJ, including all the editorial staff in their current or augmented positions. This is additional to LJ as it now stands; not a substitute.
11. Drive publicity about all the above.

Schedule: by August 31.

Stage 3

1. Open and staff the Silicon Valley office. (By December 31)
2. Build out all the entities listed above, and do it in the most involved, networked and public possible ways (just like Bob Young does). (By the end of 2000.)
3. Go public or sell for for $XXX million to somebody huge. (By the end of 2001).