[Axiom-developer] Re: proposal to create the Axiom Foundation (was: bounties etc.)

[Camm Maguire]

Greetings!  Thanks, Bill, as always for your amazing initiative!

If the group determines it is useful to have such a foundation, and
you would like me to assist in making decisions regarding the
foundation, I'd be glad to help.  Personally, I would not feel
comfortable about accepting funds for axiom work.  Its existence is
its own payment, far exceeding in value IMHO any 'bounty' we'd set.
The other difficulty of course is in judging when a task has been
adequately completed to warrant disbursement of the bounty.  Still
another is to ensure that the author (ideally) remains committed to
fixing/maintaining his/her code.  Introducing this dynamic might tend
to interfere with the spirit and collegiality of most open source
projects I've worked with.  This said, if axiom is in need of funds
for some good reason, I might be able to help provide some.

I've been a bit too reticent about my plans re: axiom I think.  I've
been planning on implementing Zeliberger for axiom and working through
the issues in some of the symbolic summation bugs.  I'm about halfway
through the book, and have just discovered Caruso's paper on his
implementation for maxima.  This is my intention.  I hesitate to speak
about it prematurely, as I want to ensure that I can find the time to
bring it to successful completion.  If there is anything more
pressing, or if anyone else is already doing this, please let me know.

If my experience with GCL is any guide, improvements of this sort have
a high activation energy of thoroughly mastering the internals of the
system.  Once this is done, many such projects can be completed
relatively quickly.  Alas, I still have to fully digest the axiom
docs, and especially Tim's earlier posts on axiom debugging/tracing
facilities. 

I like maxima, and all, but in truth I think axiom should be more
popular.  With user-base/mindshare comes a lot of synergy, IMHO.
Right now, I think axiom is effectively targeted at too small a class
of people -- researchers in mathematical computing.  We need to expand
this to the general technical user, and then things will take off.

Not that it is very representative, but I check these out every so
often:

http://people.debian.org/~igloo/popcon-graphs/index.php?packages=axiom&show_installed=on&show_vote=on&show_old=on&show_recent=on&show_nofiles=on&want_percent=on&beenhere=1

http://people.debian.org/~igloo/popcon-graphs/index.php?packages=maxima&show_installed=on&show_vote=on&show_old=on&show_recent=on&show_nofiles=on&want_percent=on&beenhere=1

Take care,

"Bill Page" <address@hidden> writes:

> On Thursday, November 18, 2004 9:35 PM Tim Daly wrote:
> 
> > 
> > re: bounties. i have no objection to someone setting up
> > a bounty or paypal system on the savannah site. however,
> > i'm unlikely to have anything to do with it except maybe
> > to contribute some cash. money has a way of making the
> > rational into the emotional and experience tells me to
> > avoid it. so my response to the whole bounty issue is
> > "anyone but me".
> > 
> 
> Ok. Personally, I don't have a problem with being emotional
> about money, so that's all the encouragement I need... :)
> 
> I volunteer to setup such a fund. But here more precisely is
> what I propose (and I am open to any alternate suggestions on
> all points):
> 
> 1. We call in the "Axiom Foundation". I am not worried at all
>    right now about it's legal status or anything. Just a name
>    will do on which to hang the idea.
> 
> 2. Decisions on behalf of the Axiom Foundation will be made by a
>    small sub-group. Maybe 3 people? I would like to think that
>    with a small group it will be possible to make all important
>    decisions by consensus (everyone must agree). I'll be asking
>    for volunteers at the end of this note. If more that 3 people
>    step up for the job then maybe we can take a vote or something.
> 
> 3. The main task of the Axiom Foundation will be to serve as the
>    "official" channel through which to promote the development
>    and maintenance of the open source version of Axiom through the
>    dispersement of donations and sponsorship money to Axiom-related
>    activities.
> 
> 4. Right now I can think of at least two potentially fundable
>    activites:
> 
>    4a. The axiom-developer.org host system
> 
>    4b. Bounties (relatively small promotional awards) to be paid
>        for programming work done enhance Axiom
> 
>    Perhaps we will be able to identify others, but I think that
>    the list should remain short.
> 
> 5. I am willing to take initial responsibility for setting up and
>    administering a paypal account (and/or any other acceptible
>    financial means) on behalf of the Axiom Foundation and I agree
>    to act on the funds collected according to the instructions of
>    the Axiom Foundation.
> 
> 6. Finally, the people I would personally like to see volunteer
>    as initial members of the Axiom Fundation are:
> 
>    Martin Rubey
>    Bob McElrath
>    Camm Macquire
> 
>    The only reason I left Tim's name of the list is that he
>    already seems especially shy about the idea. :)
> 
> Comments please.
> 
> Bill Page.
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Camm Maguire                                            address@hidden
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