[Debconf-team] Fwd: Three things to note please

B

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jonas Smedegaard <dr@jones.dk>
Date: Monday, September 14, 2015
Subject: Three things to note please
To: showme-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org

Hi Bernelle (and Daniel, if e.g. Bernelle forwards back...),

[author of forwarded text reconstructed from seemingly its source at
http://lists.debconf.org/lurker/message/20150910.130505.09c8d001.en.html]

Quoting Bernelle Verster (2015-09-14 10:46:44)
> A note from the debconf-team... can you give input on this, and if
> there are concerns (I don't understand enough to know if this is a
> concern or not), we should brainstorm it while this is at an early
> stage.

Thanks for bringing it up!

Quoting Daniel Lange (2015-09-10 13:05 UTC)
> Beaker(notebook) is a product by two sigma, Kris' company.

True, Beaker is developed at the company where Kris work. Obviously
Kris therefore has a special interest in that particular tool (e.g. his
company might permit him to spend company time working on the project if
their product is used), and sponsoring from that company specifically
may be affected by whether their software is included.

That said, the project is *not* tied to Beaker Notebook. Let me quote
the contexts at https://wiki.debian.org/ShowMeBox with Beaker mentioned:

> ShowMeBox will come loaded with the following software:
> * Standard Debian GNU/Linux system.
> * Web server.
> * Web application for data analysis (such as Beaker, described below).

and

> Links:
[...]
> * http://beakernotebook.com - the Beaker notebook tool, open source
> but not yet packaged for Debian; here is a Presentation on Beaker.
> * https://jupyter.org/ - Jupyter is another open source notebook tool.
[...]

Our project is tied to Debian and a Notebook tool: Beaker Notebook seems
the best FLOSS Notebook tool, but if not in Debian¹ in time for the
contest, we may use iPython Notebook instead.

> I'd not narrow it down to this product or type of visualization
> software.
> A more general "call for challenges" (to sponsors) of what cool stuff
> to do with a cubieboard (or other sponsored hardware) looks more open
> and less of a two sigma thing to me.

Thanks, that is a valid concern and a (maybe) good suggestion.

As mentioned at the wiki, we chose this style of competition to mimic an
earlier similar competition => a potential to draw from a previous
experience.

Also, this competition raises students' attention to their own local
community, something that resonates with me personally - a project about
random "cool stuff" likely wouldn't have me involved.

> Other companies could then also post their challenges (FLOSS or even
> Debian based only) and supply (their preferred) hardware in return.
> This way you'd get more diverse exhibits for your Information Art
> Exhibition and can provide the sponsoring opportunity to other
> companies as well.

Our project involves composing a Debian Pure Blend for highschool data
visualization contests, and shipping sponsored hardware for contestants.

A project where sponsors would choose the topic of the contest is
totally different.

A project where sponsors shipped a Debian-ish a system they made for
their devices (e.g. Raspbian) is a totally different project.

> E.g. Intel could sponsor NUCs or Edisons and people could do great
> stuff with them based on Debian and other FLOSS to fulfill the
> challenge (e.g. to be allowed to keep the hardware and have the chance
> to win a prize). Or HP could sponsor Slates and ask people to make
> them innovative maths class tools.

Sure, a *different* project could embrace *different* challenges than
the ones we've embraced, like getting Debian kernel to work with Edison
boards, or getting *any* Debian desktop to work with a touch-based
interface like HP Slate.

...or could just be happy that some vendors wanted to sponsor stuff,
ignoring evental incompatibilities with Debian.

Sorry, I don't mean to shoot down your ideas, but they seem at best
_parallel_ to our specific project. And concretely they are less
appealing to me personally to get engaged in, so please take into
account you may need to find volunteers to organize the competition if
shifting the scope of it.

> As this is a sponsoring opportunity, I'd consult with Brian and the
> sponsors team how that could fit into the overall perks available and
> whether it means (e.g.) a minimum amount of hardware sponsored or
> travel sponsored for the three top submissions or a financial
> contribution to the overall budget is in order to participate in this.

That one seems not for us to comment on.

Thanks for the critical input,

- Jonas

¹ By "in Debian" I mean packaged officially and accepted by ftpmaster
ing Debian at least unstable, from where we will likely backport to
testing or stable for the competition.

--
* Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt
* Tlf.: +45 40843136 Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

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