Re: Status reports.

[David Webster <cognition@bigfoot.com>]

On Sun, 28 Nov 1999, Donovan Rebbechi wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Nov 1999, Stefan Rieken wrote:
> 
> > I'd agree. To be honestly, I, as a newcomer, don't know anything about
> > the current state of Indy. 
> 
> We need to update the pages so that our differences are clearly outlined.
> We used to have this. Unfortunately, it's not up to date because I am not
> clear on what extra packages we have.

My point exactly. ;)
 
> > you should use Flash or whatever, but if you have links on the left that
> > CHANGE all the time (quite disturbing), then make sublinks!
> 
> This should be easy enough to do ( I think ), but I am not clear about
> what you mean.
> 
> Are you suggesting something like this: 
> 
> http://independence.seul.org/developers/
> 
> HOME
> DISTRIBUTION
> DEVELOPERS
> 	Guidelines
> 	Packaging
> 	FAQ
> 	TODO list
> THINK LINUX!
> MAILING LIST
> BOOKMARKS
> 
> It sounds like a good idea. I could do this.

It does sound like a good idea. It'd make the site easier and more ovious
to navigate.
 
> > Maybe some of you say "I dare you to do better than this". I say: "I
> > dare you to involve me". 

I try to only criticise something if I feel I could do better, or would
at least be willing to help correct the the things I criticise.
 
> We would be all too happy to involve you. Our main problem is that we
> don't have enough people involved. 
> 
> Now about what we need to do at the moment:
> 
> *	People who can package RPMs ( or people who know enough about
> 	compiling/shell scripting that they could learn )
> 
> *	People to help with the website

I am willing to help with the web site. I seem to remember a while back a
request was made for people to help, and several people volunteered
(myself included), but, as I recall, no information was forth coming about
what EXACTLY needed to be done. A project like this needs organisation.
It's all well and good getting people who are willing to help, but that is
wasted if it isn't clear what needs work.
 
I am also working on a mirror of the site. I have my server set up here in
the UK, with just the firewall to tweak, and I've got to talk to Terje
about getting access to the zone file for my domain, but his server seems
to be down. :(

I'll make another post about this in the morning.

> *	People to hunt down and test new software packages that we can add
> 	to the distribution

I plan on doing that shortly with security related products.
 
> > One final comment on that: there's active and passive information
> > providing. On the current website you are passive: any developer passing
> > by needs to fill out a form 
> 
> No, they don't. They can just subscribe to the mailing list.

If this is the case, it could do with being made clear on the page. (It
may already be so, I've not checked since I signed up.)
 
> > fits best. Active information providing - information that doesn't wait
> > for a request when provided.
> 
> Making it too easy for developers to climb on board doesn't help. It just
> attracts a lot of people who aren't really interested/serious. We have had
> this kind of problem -- a lot of people expressing interest, but most of
> them not willing to do very much.

Those who like the /idea/ of being involved, but not the work. All though
to a certain extent we need all the help we can get, people who are only
willing to criticise may do more harm than good. We need people who would
be committed to the project. But we don't want to scare people off. That's
what I think is good about this mailing list. It eases people into the
project, they can lurk and see what goes on, how everything is admin'ed,
and provide feedback/volunteer if they feel like it. 

Also, since this is the only list (the only one I aware of, anyway ;) it
means that all discussions about the workings of Indy are in the open. Any
user can see exactly how we work. That may or may not be a good thing,
though.
 
David
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