Re: [Gnu-arch-users] details is details, not punctuation

[Derek Carter]

Thomas Lord wrote:
> The issues at hand are bigger than me and bigger than the GNU Arch
> project.  The GNU Arch project appears to be firmly locked into
> a post-mortem phase and the corresponding analysis is what is
> going on.

I for one agree on this point, this is bigger than one person or one 
project.
At least to me, as a relative newcomer to the FOSS world, I have tried 
my best to 'live for the ideal'. Trying to be a 'volunteer' wherever my 
skills have been needed. Unfortunately, my ideas are never of a scale of 
what someone like Tom has been able to come up with. However whenever I 
see one of these next-big-thing ideas crop up, I do what I can to help. 
I have as a goal some (hopefully not too far into the future) day to be 
able to create/maintain/head/supply some great new thing myself.

It's our responsibility as advocates of this paradigm of how to get 
things done in the software world, to make sure that ALL PARTIES 
INVOLVED get something (ideally everything they need) out of what we create.

I joined this list right during the glory days of GNU Arch. I was 
impressed by the quality and quantity of new thinking I encountered. I 
saw good things on the horizon. And even though I've been witness to the 
death throes of tla, I've learned much from the last few months of 
G-A-U. Borrowing from the book of "Learn from Others--Mistakes and 
Genius Alike"

(now these observations may be old hat to some of you but bear with me. 
also, this isn't an attack on any one individual, this is to explain the 
usefulness of this so-called post mortem)

Number One:
  The more against the norm or radical or 'out there' the idea the
  higher the potential for something great to come out of it.
  -- and the higher the climb the harder the fall.  In other words:
  "Be wary of success".

Number Two:
  Enough cannot be said for focus. and dedication. Focus on the wrong
  thing/component and one may let some important morsel slip past
  unawares.  One should also show a great deal of pride and dedication
  to an FOSS project they've allied themselves with.

Number Three:
  Good ideas come from all directions.  Don't let the afore mentioned
  pride of your project keep you from seeing what may be a better way
  of accomplishing your goal. (As an instructor I learn this lesson over
  and over again as new ways of doing things are presented to me by
  different students)

Number Four:
  Organization and communication are key. Having a 'pecking order' isn't
  always a bad idea, it gives those elusive ideas a direction to travel.
  However, keep in mind the previous point, an idea may come from
  somewhere other than the 'approved' channel. Also be available for
  those left field ideas. As a project manager one should be a
  BENEVOLENT dictator, which listens to his followers.

I for one have made notes of these things which I plan to refer to if 
I'm ever presented with the opportunity to be a BP in some bigger 
open-source project in the future. I hope that these observations can 
help you who consider these last few threads as "bothersome" or 
"chest-pounding" or "blowing off steam" know that there is something to 
be learned from everything.


> As for obnoxiousness -- yeah, I can be a real bastard when push
> comes to shove.  Which it has.
>
> -t

Tom, if one doesn't show emotion when it's their baby being put under 
the microscope I don't think they deserve to have it as their baby. :)

Derek

--
-----
Derek Carter <address@hidden>
Instructor
GuruLabs <http://www.GuruLabs.com/> Your source for Linux instruction.