was: [gnue-discuss] Overview Text Versiion 3.0

[Peter Sullivan]

Hmm, this is interesting - trying to post a reply to a thread on a
mailing list that doesn't exist any more...

In article <address@hidden>, Derek A. Neighbors
<address@hidden> writes
>>OVERVIEW
>>GNU Enterprise is a comprehensive *Free Software solution for small-medium
>>enterprises competing in today's fast-paced global marketplace. Its *Open
>>Architecture allows you to integrate one or more GNU Enterprise packages
>>with existing legacy applications or proprietary solutions from commercial
>>vendors. If you want a full function *ERP system, GNU Enterprise is the
>>package for you.
>>
>I dont like this description because it paints GNUe into being an 'ERP' 
>while it can be that, its really a development framework that is much 
>more flexible than an ERP. Any database application can be written with 
>GNUe Tools even if they have nothing to do with the ERP packages, I dont 
>think we want to lose that.

I think a good way of explaining this is something 
Jason Cater said on IRC that found its way into 
Kernel Cousins (slightly amended) :

"GNU Enterprise is really two projects in one: 
1) A complete architecture for implementing business applications, and
2) A set of applications that implement business applications"

Paraphrasing the rest, it would be perfectly possible to use the GNUe 
Tools to produce your own private applications, either stand-alone or 
linked to your organisation's main GNUe Applications implementation.

James Thompson's quote may also be relevant here:

"Eventually we'll have a clearing house of applications so you can 
just grab something close someone else has made and tweak it to your 
liking."

If you were going to do a diagram, I guess it would be something like:

GNU Enterprise
|
+--GNUe Tools
|  |
|  +--Forms
|  +--Reports
|  +--Designer
|  +--Application Server
|  +--GNU-RPC (formerly GNUe Common)
|  +--etc.
|
+--Applications 
   |
   +--GNUe Applications 
   |  |
   |  +--Financials
   |  +--Supply Chain
   |  +--etc.
   |
. .|. . . . . . . . . . . . . Official "Boundary" of the GNUe Project 
   |
   +--"friendly" applications
   |  |
   |  +--DCL (not really fair, as this is a project in its 
   |  |  own right, but the nearest real-world example we have AFAIK)
   |  +--other apps from James' hypothetical library, 
   |     released under GPL
   |
   +--"private" applications
      |
      +--anything and everyting!

I did consider another category of applications - "unfriendly" 
applications, which were written using GNUe Tools, but *not* 
released under GPL or equivalent. But presumably this would 
be in violation of the GPL on GNUe Tools anyway?

Part of the beauty of GNUe is that there is room for everyone - 
from hardcore hackers whose main interest is in the tools, 
to more apps-orientated people like myself (and I would guess 
Alan), who may not know one end of a python from another, but 
know what boxes they want on their invoice entry screen...
-- 
Peter Sullivan