Re: [oc] Inquiry

[Rudolf Usselmann <rudi@asics.ws>]

On Sat, 2003-05-10 at 04:11, Niclas Hedhman wrote:
> On Thursday 08 May 2003 08:26 am, Rudolf Usselmann wrote:
> > Who is going to maintain it all ? This is a lot of
> > work, and I know I don't have the time to provide that
> > much of free support for all my cores.
> >
> > And then all the great ideas about documentation. I don't
> > have the time to learn XML. I just finally switched to the
> > free OfficeTools that came with Linux, learned how to use
> > them, how to make simple drawings and somewhat decent
> > looking docs. And now XMl too ? Sorry can't do that !
> 
> One of my biggest idols in OSS, Stefano Mazzocchi at Apache, once said;
> 
> Good Ideas and Bad Code creates Great Commnuities.
> 
> 
> What he meant was, if A introduces a good idea, but doesn't necessary have the 
> time to do it, B may pick it up and together with C get it going. But they 
> don't do a good job, and D really want to see it succeed, so D improves it. E 
> doesn't know how to write code, but tries to use it, and finds it difficult 
> to get it to work, so E produces some basic documentation for everyone else.  
> And so on.... Not only code writers are considered contributors, even A 
> above, is a great contributor even if A can't code.
> 
> One person should not do all by him/her-self.
> 
> Apache have a fairly extensive infrastructure to support so many projects, 
> each with dozens or more developers / documentors. 
> CVS is a center-piece, so that changes can occur concurrently, even in 
> "branches" to be merged later, and more importantly, changes to be wound back 
> to a previous state. This is used for both code and documents.
> 
> 
> As for XML documentation. In a working community, some people knows it, some 
> doesn't. Those who help out on documents are often not programmers, but want 
> to help. Give them a bone and they will build up the meat. 
> So, Rudi, if OC is brought to such level, don't worry, you could end up having 
> MORE time instead of less.
> 
> 
> Hope this gives some hope.
> Niclas

Niclas,

I understand the basic idea of a community project. The
problem I have been observing since the first days of OC
is that it is almost impossible to find people to help.
If I can not find/there are no volunteers (A-Z) it won't
get done or the original author has to do it.

It seems most people want to submit projects, but there
appears to be almost no help for unfinished projects.
Originally it wasn't a big deal that projects didn't get
finished, as everybody thought they will be picked up by
others and brought to completion. This is however only
very seldom the case. Now OC is stuck with several dozen
projects that are in some sort of suspended "limbo" state !

Also, most of the things I have pointed out previously (lint,
toggle coverage, documentations) are difficult to do if you
are not the original author.

So my concern is that you won't find guys A-Z !

Cheers,
rudi               
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