Re: [schoolforge] reply to Thank you and plans

[Doug Loss <drloss@suscom.net>]

David Bucknell wrote:
> 
> I know you've invested a lot in seul-edu, all of you. Only you can decide
> whether to change it and its focus. That said, you may have had the
> experience I have where two projects and two lists compete and both suffer.
> The new project never takes off for lack of support from the old and the old
> loses focus because its focus isn't clear. However, if you would just like to
> let schoolforge-relevant discussion take place on seul-edu for the near-term,
> then I think that would be fine. Then, this "core" list would have a clearly
> organizational role.
> 
For the near-term that's OK.  But you may have noticed that
Schoolforge-specific discussions have dropped off markedly on seul-edu
in the past week, as they should.  I think a general Schoolforge
discussion list is an important idea.  It wouldn't be this "core" list,
though; this list will stay an an organizational and managerial one.

> However, Felipe, himself, mentioned some possible problems with the logo
> (penguin); perhaps we can use a contest to raise a little excitement in March
> as part of the press release, and then we could announce the winner in April
> (having completed the process before that, I imagine?).
> 
Worth discussion.  Members, how do you feel about this?  Let's hear from
a bunch of you!  David, I and a few others shouldn't be allowed to
monopolize the conversation.

> *Re Multi-lingual Web site:
> >
> I propose that we work on the site until next month's press release and then
> set a moratorium on changes for a month and ask for translations. After that
> we can always ask for translations of press releases.
> 
Fine by me.  Other opinions?

> > > *PR: I hope we will work toward a common pr package that members and
> > > supporters can take with them to conferences.
> >
> > I think this could be a very useful idea.  In addition, I'd like to see a
> > set of documents and whatever other material seems useful created for the
> > use of Linux user groups and other community organizations that want to try
> > to get open resources used in their local schools.
> 
> Then this could be one of our first goals, after the press releases (I don't
> see that there need to be two packages, just one that could serve those
> interested in helping schools and also those looking for help). I think I can
> contribute, but am not prepared to oversee its creation. I would hope the
> product, again, would celebrate the resources of community members.
> 
I'm not sure that one package would adequately serve both purposes.  One
would be primarily a set of advocacy documents, while the other would
include those but also be a set of HOWTOs on translating that advocacy
into concrete action.  I seem to recall that one of our member groups
was working on just this sort of document package for LUGs.  Could the
representative for any group already doing, or planning to do, this
please speak up?  The rest of us may be able to funnel some resources
(people, hosting space, translation help, etc.) to you.

> > > *Software project hosting
> >
> > Currently, SEUL is doing this on a case by case basis.
> >
> > I'm not sure if I like the idea of Schoolforge hosting projects or not.  As
> > you say, it's what people probably expect from the name.  However, once
> > Schoolforge starts to host any native content, we inevitably set up a
> > two-tiered organization.  On one hand you have member groups and what they
> > do, and on the other hand you have Schoolforge-hosted projects.
> 
> As you know, I support member empowerment. However, as much as there are many
> sites that do not take off on sourceforge, by being so available and open
> also has its benefits. [...] In this case, although seul and savanah and 
> ofset etc exist, it
> would be much better to ask them all to support schoolforge hosting because
> none of them can claim to have the draw that schoolforge would.
> 
> If it came down to no support for schoolforge hosting, then I would feel the
> name were not taken advantage of adequately. [...] If
> we were to work only with existing projects, then what if, on schoolforge
> pages, we took the seul-edu app index one step further and listed a means of
> finding places to host new projects as well as an index of where each
> existing project was hosted? And what if we also included specific
> instructions for hosting at each available host? "This host accepts projects
> of x,y or z character and here's how you apply"?
> 
> I would think this would maintain the independence of each project but fit
> schoolforge's name as well as its hub-like mission.
> 
I think this is a better idea than having Schoolforge begin to host
projects itself.  Having Schoolforge act as a new educational project
incubator could be very handy.  We could work up guidelines something
like this:

"Do you have an idea for a new free/open educational project?  Check
<here> [fulltext search of project descriptions, both from SEUL/edu App
Index and member group descriptions] for other similar projects.  If
there are none, or none have your particular approach to the problem
you're trying to solve, here is a <list of hosting sites> that welcome
new educational projects, along with their hosting requirements and the
services they provide."

-- 
Doug Loss          As long as I have you there is just
drloss@suscom.net  one other thing I'll always need--
(570) 326-3987     tremendous self control.
                          Ashleigh Brilliant