Re: New Theme proposal & other stuff

["Dana M. Diederich" <dana@realms.org>]

Hi folks.

> - -- Roger, you may want to stop reading at this point ;-) --
Ugh.

> 
> Hold on while I get into my flame-proof suit....  ok.
> 
> On thing I should add is we need to decide on a non-popular subject that
> will impact the design.  Ad banners or no ad banners?  I know no one
> *likes* banners, but $$$ is a good thing when you want more hardware.  
> VAR and other corporate supporters won't always be so ready to give
> something for virutally nothing. Having $$$ in the bank *before* we need
> it is a good thing.  I for one don't have extra cash laying around that I
> can dontate to the site.  Setting up a not for profit org isn't that
> difficult.  Also, a lot of Linux/OSS related sites now have ads: lwn.net,
> Linux Today, Linux World, slashdot.org etc.
I'll speak up about this issue: I'm certainly with Roger regarding money and
advertisement.  If this system is properly designed, it'll be distributed.
Roger's paradigm is accurate: hardware is nothing.  Content is everything.
Speaking for myself, I can, within a week, get access to thousands of MIPS
and hundreds of gigabytes worth of machine just by asking some people.

If this project gets visibility, you'll have more offers for space and
computer power than you'll know what to do with.  If the project doesn't
take off, the resources aren't needed in any case.

When linux.org was down not too long ago, I offered via e-mail to host them
on my site.  The reply, much delayed, was that they had been totally
overwhelmed with similar offers.  Many many OSS minded people have resources
to give away on the 'net.

This isn't about weather it's 'right' to run advertisements.  You're correct
in saying that OSS certainly allows, even encourages, that sort of thing
in many situations.  But unless a project NEEDS money, the project should
not worry about trying to get it.  The reason is this: money complicates
the free software process, a lot.  Who's account does it go in?  What
bank?  What do we spend it on?  What if we don't agree on what to spend it on?
What if we make a LOT of money?  What if we split into splinter groups,
who gets the money?  In the same way money can turn a friendly card
game into a very unfriendly experience, money can also pollute the best
intentions and good wills in a free development project.

Right now, at no cost or obligation, this project has a good chunk of
Roger's machines available, as well as my commercial server.  At the drop
of a hat, both Roger and I can get even more resources.  I suspect other
members of this list have resources at hand as well.  Why not concern
ourselves with the aim of the project, rather than the big hardware?

That's all I got to say about that.  Thanks Mr. Gump.  I live in the South
too.

Cheers.
-Dana
-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,
Dana M. Diederich                       Phone: 501.855.7175
E-Mail: dana@realms.org                 HTTP:  http://realms.org/
Snail Mail: 19 Leicester Drive, Bella Vista, Ar 72714, USA
`Berkeley invented LSD and Unix, and I don't think that's a coincidence.'