Re: Greetings from beyond the south!
My Friends:
> But probably (hopefully!) they'll be hosting it themselves on their own
> Debian system rather than on a Internet provider's public Web server.
>
If it's an intranet, YES. But of course, it could also be useful as server;
what I said here is that I've got this "vision" of a sort of "worldwide
office", with a desk at every PC with a internet connection; then if u give
different levels of access permits, u've got from the rookie to the senior
associate (even your clients) plugged to your net. Even more, if u know about
the "wifi movement", in order to these ideas be useful, u need the proper
tools, if not, is pointless have such connectivity. So that's why I'm so
intrested in developing (let's call it) an "online tool".
> Hmm, well not until they release Debian GNU/Win32. The least we can
> expect (even if they are running Windows on the desktop) is that they'll
> be running Linux on their intranet/application/database server.
>
Of course all my hopes are these ones; but I'm very realistic, so that's why
I'm suggesting a strategy, in order to give a possibility of changing the OS
in a few years without loosing the data in the db's. That's why, I think, we
need to trust soft that could be multiplatform, like apache and sql. That
way, when the offices change their OS, they'll do it without a doubt, knowing
that their data would be usable under Linux. Perhaps we need to create a
sub-group that discuss the "software creation", becouse this is very
compatible with the legal distro, but not very equal (in sourceforge?). But
when lawyers change their minds, focusing on Linux, they'll gonna need the
proper distro... and guess which distro is going to fit their necesities? :D
What do u all think about this?
> Hmm well sure, there's nothing to stop people from packaging non-free
> debs containing documentation or templates. IMHO though it's premature
> to start thinking about that until the free software base is in place.
>
Of course, what u say it's logical. However, what I want to "sell" it's access
to data (laws & cases organized in a db) but certainly not the soft. And this
is only becouse we need the necesary funding to provide a "pro" service, and
not to becaming a "Bill Gates"; that's why I consider this a non proffit
enterprise. For example, I think that the templates generation must be
integrated with the soft (I could help with the "argentinean paperwork"), and
that's GPL. This is very logical. And of course, first we need to work in the
soft, and then the other things. Also I think that the "process modules" must
be GPL, but also u give the option to modify'em, add the ones u need, remove
it if u don't wanted or if there's no module, give the posibility of
create'em.
> Have a look at alioth.debian.org. We can set up a development site
> there if we like.
>
Cool! Do u set up the space? If u wanted, I could help with the site
developing. We also could use "Sourceforge.net" or I also could provide some
space, I have no problem with that (or the three in a row!) On general basis,
u've got the site at the "developing site" and other one with your stuff. I
think we need a CMS solution: I suggest the usage of Postnuke (free, fast
n'easy to use! :-)
> We can't kid ourselves, Debian-Lex is not going to service 98% of the
> market.
>
Why not? :D Seriously, some day we're gonna beat those numbers, and perhaps
through "specialized distros" we're gonna attract more "customers" to Linux
(and that's what I like most about Debian-Lex! :-)
> But at least we can get a foot in their door.
>
As the chinese (and maybe Johnnie Walker ;-) says: "the biggest trip begins
with the first step"
> A minimal
> Debian-Lex enabled law office might just use back-end components but
> retain a proprietary OS desktop accessing data sources and applications
> on the server using a Web browser and OpenOffice.org. So to that
> extent, I agree with what you are saying. But we should support other
> users who want to go the whole hog and use native Linux desktop
> applications such as GnoTime for time recording.
>
I agree, we need to think in all of them... but convince them that if they go
with Debian, they'll have better results, but, if they have their doubts,
give'em "options", "options" that are compatible with Linux, so when they
think "should we use Linux?", they answer will be YES,'cos their data will be
compatible in linux, and the migration wont be that hard. So that way, u are
also giving a bite, becouse u are attracting all of them to Linux (hehe! ;-)
> Yep, and an autobooting demo CD based on Knoppix. Maybe even nice
> Windows-y splash screens for LILO/GRUB and the kernel (see
> http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/kernel-patch-lpp.html).
> Speaking of which, we need a logo. Anyone have any design skills?
>
Well, in a matter of facts, I have'em (GIMP roolz!!! :-) I could doodle a
little bit. Any ideas on which we should base our logo? (I can contribute
with any graphic design that the project needs)
> Yes I have put it at http://people.debian.org/~terminus/mozart-0.0.5.tgz
>
Thank u pal! Well, good luck, Gabriel.
Ps. At which "stage" is the distro? Should we've got any kind of agenda, in
order to organize our work a little bit? Shall we start dividing some tasks?
What else do we need to keep walking the right path?
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