[Typo3-UG Quebec] [TYPO3-UG US] Better extensions award

[Elmar Hinz]

Hello US and Canadian marketing groups!

Extensions regularly do, what the developers want them to do.

Not as often they do what our customers expect them to. Interoparability
between different extensions can't be taken for granted. A lot of
extensions have a poor documentation or none at all. You seldom can
reach the developers for improvement requests.

Such details make the daily life of TYPO3 consultants and agencies
pretty difficilt and regularly consumes a big part of our time.

To get better extensions, extensions that work in a way we expect them
to work, I have proposed to offer a reward for the best extension(s)
every year. Extensions need to achieve a standard, that we well define,
to take part in the contest. As a side effect, we will certify a
handfull of the extensions that reach a defined standard of best quality.

What do we already have:

* The german TYPO3 print magazine T3N (http://www.yeebase.com/) likes to
support the award and has offert print reports about.

* Robert Lemke and Kasper Skårhøj as members of the assozication board
will give official legitimation for the award, if it's well organized.

I call for active support of the american TYPO3 community. Please
support this idea in a way that Robert and Kasper will call it well
organized. Either we need to do it right or we leave it.

I would like to see at least a third of the active team to come from
america, cause that will be an important market in the near future.



What do we need for a well organized award?

* Organizers (2 - 4 persons)
* Jury       (6 - 9 persons)
* Sponsors   (1 - 3 companies)


Organizers:

Their task is to organize the award as a whole, to make it an integrated
part of the TYPO3 association. Tasks are the inner organization, fund
raising, event management of celebrations and public relations. - That
sounds much bigger as it is in fact.


Jury:

The jury has to define the conditions extensions need to fullfill to
take part in the contetst. The members officially certify those
extensions wich reach best quality standard and vote for the award
winning extension(s).


Sponsors:

They are audible named as sponsors or the TYPO3 extension award and can
advertiese their own company as official sponsor. I think it es best to
only have few or only one sponsor, to get best advertisement effect for
him. If the award is donated by one exclusive sponsor it could carry his
name ofter him.



How do you think about the amount of the award. How much is necessary at
least. What is realistic at maximum?

One of my self defined conditions to persue the idea is, that the
american marketing groups bring in at least one person into the
organizing team and 2 for the jury. So you are a test field for the
acceptance idea itself.

Now let us hear your opinions, find volunteers and than perhaps get into 
action.


Regards

Elmar