On Sat, Oct 02, 1999 at 12:29:40AM +0100, jg@cyberstorm.demon.co.uk wrote:
To generate interest, why else? The GNOME project was announced before GNOME-1.0 got out. They wanted interest, developers, feedback, publicity. To a point, so do we.
At least GNOME had shown some people something. Not even your own team has seen anything other than vapourware so far, AIUI. Also, the PR you put out was a full-blown launch announcement, not a call for contributors.
Open the project...
I'm sorry, but I did try and make that clear. I don't remember the exactly text used on both the draft posts, but I do remember saying that this was to be released, and gave the date in the P-R itself.
You said on 9 September: "Will be released later this week."
I'm sorry, I disagree. To anyone eagre enough to visit the site over October and then fire complaints at us if we don't deliver in October, I will apologise.
As I said on IRC, people tend not to email you with complaints unless they "own" the site in some way (does this tally with the experience of other large site webmasters here?). The vast majority just ignore you. I just hope that they don't ignore you with a "oh that again" when you do actually launch.
I suspect that while linuxnewbie.com may be of reasonable profile name and ambition-wise, delays will be tolerated while we get it right. Again I may be wrong, but since the deed is done, I can only but work to get it right ASAP. In six months time will everyone be saying, "LNC - the site who launched after the announced date"? I obviously can't guarantee there won't be, but I bet our primary audience won't be.
You're not going to get it to work right soon, if ever, with one man working alone on most of the site. You're also going to burn yourself out before long. Open the project...
You should be worrying whether people will be saying in six months time: "LNC, that didn't last long, did it?", "LNC, not as good as linuxnewbie.org" or "LNC, they crashed lots when they launched". (Actually, that last is my biggest concern and the reason why I speak out, as it would once again tarnish Linux's name... and it's totally avoidable.)
Sorry. I suggest we get back to more constructive work rather than this conversation which is obviously not in anyone's interests.
No, this conversation is not in *YOUR* interests because it highlights shortcomings in the operation of LNC at the moment. Willing developers are denied access to the code. Attempts to start useful discussion are stifled. Lists of jobs are spat out with rude subject lines (eg JOBS #3 - READ OR DIE). Actions on a volunteer project are taken without asking the volunteers. Statements like "we frikkin' kill LNO" (referring to linuxnewbie.org) go uncontested, yet you get upset when ln.o views you as hostile competition.
Having a good, healthy, working LNC is in the interests of Linux users everywhere and is a worthwhile and noble aim. So let Linux users everywhere help: Open the project...
MJR
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