!!! sync digest: All in one letter

[Roman Suzi <rnd@sampo.karelia.ru>]

hi!

I don't have time answer individual messages,  so  I  just  put
some summarising remarks/my opinion:

1. XML tags must not be visible to end-user!
   -----------------------------------------
   (Are HTML tags visible? No! Why EDUML must be visible?)
   So, only hackers will see them and hackers understand english
   and are happier with english, because english words have
   precise meaning for them. Paste is paste, school is school,
   interrupt is interrupt and not arrest, disrupt or stop.

2. I too would like to see an example program which parses
   ------------------------------------------
   XML by using XML-library (is it gnome-xml?) and
   does some operations on it. XML is a data storage
   language (or is it knowledge base?), so we need to have
   basic routines for navigation in data, sorting, searching, etc
   which is usually done with data.
   Of course, this must be in C (and not in Perl)
   and show API to XML parser. If there is Perl API
   - its only a plus.

3. To approach Bascom or Caldera, we must stand ON THEIR POINT
   OF VIEW. How could we mutually help each other?
   Will they have some profit or good name for that?
   So, first we need to know WHY we want to approach them!
   Companies are not just bunch of bored people. They
   have plans and goals. Everything else is just distracting them
   from that way.
   What do WE need from them in exchange FOR WHAT?
   ------------------------------------------------
   Caldera and Bascom aren't charities. They will not buy
   vague proposals (or even answer emails with such proposals).
   So, I think, we must think hard before writing letters
   and/or sign them.
   For example, 2 months ago I asked from IBM if TechExplorer
   (an app to show TeX docs on the Net - BTW, of edu value too!)
   is available for Linux.
   They said, they plan to have beta for Linux in December.
   It took them 2 weeks to answer!
   Another example was more fortunate: I got 24 hours (!)
   reply from Exide Electronics concerning my UPS.
   Wow! It was with extensive comprehensible explanations! 
   (Not just some lame answer)
   So, the letter mustn't be a selfgoal.

4. I am sorry, but seul-edu list at this moment reminds me
   a Babylon Tower construction. Lets find common language
   and agree on something. My head is going around my neck
   after reading thru today's seul-edu!
   There ARE projects leaders who could say a final decision
   after some discussion. There must be certain time
   limits for discussions on certain decisions (like RFDs
   in Usenet) - otherwise we fall into ENDLESS discussions
   and projects die of indecision!
   Everyone has its own experiences and knowledge.
   I undestand, its hard to find suitable role even in a list
   of projects: I myself am not sure how to lead the
   project (I never did it!) and how to share tasks if there
   will be people willing to help. (I have only theoretical
   knowledge, which doesn't necessary apply to Open Source)

   DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY WITH SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE HERE?

   Can that person advice us how to do it with more order
   that it is now?

   (And always we must keep in mind, that only those
   things are done with quality, which are done with
   interest!)

These were my 4 roubles ;-)
I am sorry, I will not participate in discussion.
But I hope I focused our problems precisely to
facilitate decision-making processes here.


Sincerely yours,
Roman A. Suzi

 -- Petrozavodsk -- Karelia -- Russia --
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