+++ Philip Ashmore [2012-06-23 05:45 +0100]:
On 23/06/12 00:53, Wookey wrote:
I'm too busy developing the-next-big-thing(TM), but wanted to
encourage some sort of global social bug-squashing event(s) - it
might even encourage non-debianites to participate, or take more
interest in Debian.
This is a worthy goal. But nothing about that ideal _requires_ using
google+ rather than any other chat service. I think you'd get a lot
more traction if you separated those two ideas. Nearly everyone would
agree that a global bug-squashing party is a good thing (although
time-zones do impose limits on how well that works). Fewer would
favour using google+ to synchronise it, as you have discovered.
And again, I'm more in favour of Google+ as they provide the
hardware+bandwidth now - I can't really see how an open source
alternative could compete.
It doesn't have to 'compete', it just has to be available, and there
are plenty of open source chat services that would work for
co-ordinating a bug-squashing party.
And I don't really buy the "use open source at all costs" argument
either
That is obvious :-)
- I don't know what software the network hubs use between me
and the WWW, even the router I use pays half-assed lip-service by
providing a download for some libraries it might have used - not
enough to pimp it.
My router runs openWRT (which makes it a lot more useful than the
software that came with it). The packets out on the net may travel
through some proprietary software but that's not something under my
control. Yes it's almost impossible not to use _some_ proprietary
software (PC bioses are hard to get away from for example, as is
google's search engine), but there is value in only using the stuff
you need to because there is no other sensible way (and people on what
constitutes 'sensible'.
Bug-squashing party co-ordination software does not come into that
category IMHO, which is why you are finding your google+ suggestion
less than enthusiasticaly received.
I say, gauge the demand first, write an open source alternative if
you can do it as well or better later.
As I say - try to separate the ideas of global bug-squashing, from the
service used to co-ordinate it, when gauging enthusiasm. It'll
certainly help with an audience of Debian users and developers. It may
make less difference to 'new people'.
Wookey