discuss: the tldp foundation
Subject:
Re: the tldp foundation
From:
Rahul ####@####.####
Date:
22 Jun 2004 22:24:06 -0000
Message-Id: <20040622222342.21361.qmail@web8001.mail.in.yahoo.com>
--- Stein Gjoen ####@####.#### wrote: > Rahul
Sundaram wrote:
>
> [...]
>
>
> > While its remarkable that tldp has managed to
> survive
> > as an informal group of volunteers for a long time
> a
> > foundation can be formed to better deal with these
> > kinds of things
>
>
> I cannot quite see how a foundation works better or
> differently
> than these mailing lists, could you elaborate?
sure. take a look at the mozilla foundation and gnome
foundation for examples of this. while random
volunteers can get together and discuss things,
sometimes decisions will have to taken promptly and
decisively. We get struck on various things. who gets
to decide whether a document should be accepted into
the collection, removed, acceptable licenes,
formulating new policies and making sure that various
things we discuss do not get dropped out. for example
the css related changes to the website was discussed
extensively and remember the web counters thingy
everyone was interested in but just never happened?.
maybe having a foundation would help?
>
> > benefits
> > 1)clear leadership and direction
>
>
> We already have a leader but I would like to see
> more on
> what directions are in the plans and the vision for
> TLDP
> (without Dilbert styled marketing speak of course).
> This
> too should be possible to communicate on a mailing
> list.
sure we have a leader but i believe we need more
people and close knit team who can decisively do
things on behalf of tldp . for example) promoting LDP
or getting sponsorships.
>
> > 2)can be assigned copyrights
>
>
> Is that really necessary?
Not completely but it can beneficial. I know quite a
few people like to assign copyrights and not worry
about licensing and stuff. It can be useful for
various scenarios. I am sure pretty sure searching the
archives would show some interesting things.
>
> > 3)can recieve funds
> > 4)organise things more easily
>
>
> Could you elaborate more on what needs to be
> organised?
see above. we need to make sure we dont drop out
various ideas and follow up on things we discuss and
take a decision on whether this is acceptable or not
and if not why/
>
> > 5)contacts can be established in a better way
>
>
> Such as?
Suppose that you want to get sponsorship for a certain
event. say a yearly LDP meet or say some authors would
like to recieve renumeration for their work or get
their work published as a book and would like tldp to
help them. how do you go about doing this now?. A
foundation is better equipped to do that.
>
> > what do you guys think?
>
>
> I would like to know more on what you have in mind.
>
> My own view is that we should improve our services
> to
> our users by keeping in mind exactly who they are
> and
> what they want, specifically:
>
> o end users, readers
> - better structure (*)
> - better navigation between documents (*)
> - possibly more formats for reading (*)
> - more complete collection of documents
> - adding auxilliary documents
> - more brocures (*)
> - more overview documents
> - adding in existing documents from elsewhere
> o authors and new authors
> - better tools
> - improve templates (*)
> - better generators (*)
> - continue improving documentation
> - recruit new authors
> o publishers, packagers
> - make tools to make selection and compilation
> easy (*)
> - improve contacts with these (*)
> - get fresher TLDP contents in more distributions
> o editors, reviewers
> - continue improving documentation and process
> - workflow management
> - recruit more people
> o other items
> - more coverage of TLDP
> - more announcements (*)
>
> Do note: I am not trying to oust current leader.
> rather I am trying to realise what I believe are
> needed
> improvements by suggestions, prototyping and getting
> things started, as marked with asterix above.
> Regrettably
> I have not had the sufficient amount of time to
> follow up
> on initial work and proposals but have had great
> help from
> Emma Jane Hogbin and others in a number of cases.
> ..............
Sure. So does Tabatha, Greg, Machtelt Garrels, David
and innumerous authors and volunteers who have done
excellent work in the past and continue to do so.
.............
> I believe we can accomplish all this without a
> foundation.
> We still need to think more on where we are going
> and how
> we want to do it.
>
We sure need author, more documents, less outdated
stuff and all that and yes it can be accomplished
without a foundation but I believe that having one
would be very helpful but I dont know how hard it is
or whether others consider it an improvement worth the
effort.
regards
Rahul Sundaram
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