Volunteers?

[richb at pioneer.ci.net (Rich Braun)]

Shaun Noonan wrote:
> >> BTW, do famous computer-type-people always show up and yell at us for 
> >> talking about commercial software for Linux-based GNU systems? =)

No, that was a first for us.  Guess that's evidence that the group is
growing in recognition.  As I stated at the meeting, I believe that the
Free Software Foundation and Richard Stallman in particular have contributed
a great deal, in forging the mindset which led to one of the world's
largest distributed software development projects in history.  Only
the BSD system probably has had more contributors to its base of code
and documentation.

Linux is better than many commercial software systems because of the sheer
magnitude of work which has gone into it (the overall package, not just the
kernel or any particular application), and because of the extensive
field testing it has gotten since 1991.  The Internet itself has played
a key role in this development, by creating the forum for exchange of
ideas, code, documentation, and test feedback.  No commercial firm can
match this combined effort.  And we all benefit.

But Stallman and I disagree on how society should benefit from this
so-called Linux-based GNU system.  I believe that an operating
environment as rich as this can and should be used as the foundation
for a wave of commercial and non-commercial innovation.

The freeware community, rather than merely protecting this legacy intact
and enshrining it as the be-all and end-all of operating environments,
should move on to next-generation projects.  Such is my ambition.

Jabr wrote:
> We don't have much of a Linux presence at the Resource Center, just yet.
> We've got a Sun 386i with 150 MB drive, a diskless Sun 3/50, and a 
> NeXT '030 cube with an 80 MB drive. Our Internet mail server runs Linux,
> but that's not a general public-access system. Also, the Resource Center
> manager, Paul Watts, is not convinced that there's significant interest 
> in Unix and Linux systems in the Resource Center.

The Resource Center has acquired a new Pentium system for use as the
primary Internet server.  And it has formalized the process of setting
up a high-speed Internet link which is moving forward as fast as the
bureaucratic machinery can move (the challenge is making sure that a
variety of interests are served fairly).  The old mail server will
continue to run Linux.  Two Linux servers at the BCS resource center
is actually not a shabby presence, in my mind (as modest as these
machines are, they are in fact the finest of the computers in BCS's
possession).

Also, there is a plan to set up a 10BaseT LAN throughout the office,
which will enable us to run TCP/IP from all the Macs and PCs into the
Internet and the Linux servers.  I would like to see the Linux/Unix
(Gnu system) users' group begin to use these resources to run hands-on
evening/weekend workshops, modeled after what we did at the
MegaMeeting.  By setting up these workshops, it will be much more
evident to folks like Paul that there is in fact interest in
Unix/Linux.  (Standing-room-only meeting rooms full of 50 people are
more convincing in person than via email...)  Paul has been quite
supportive of our efforts, but obviously there are a hundred things
pulling BCS in different directions.

If some of you reading this are interested in commercial applications
for Linux and how it can be used implement online services, please
write back and I'll think of setting up a meeting for people
interested in these projects.

On the first Tuesday of each month is a meeting of the BCS electronic
services committee, for those of you who are committed to helping the
BCS shape its Internet and bulletin board offerings.

-rich