[ug-discuss] Re: [osol-mktg] Sponsor Project Indiana

[Stephen Lau]

Simon Phipps wrote:
> 
> On Jun 6, 2007, at 12:14, Casper.Dik at Sun.COM wrote:
> 
>> You are saying that the other OpenSolaris based distributions
>> are created outside the OpenSolaris community?  Is this
>> by virtue of them having their own websites and distribution
>> mechanisms?
> 
> Yes, and most importantly their own discussion mechanisms (if any). The 
> actual tasks of defining and constructing the distributions (a 
> combination of editorial decision and engineering activity) are 
> conducted elsewhere than opensolaris.org by people who are indeed 
> members of the OpenSolaris community.
> 
> The main novelty of the various proposals for an OpenSolaris 
> distribution including the Indiana proposal is to have at least one 
> distribution constructed collaboratively inside the community. I believe 
> the key factor here is transparent decision-making.

I don't agree that just because they coordinate their work on other 
sites they aren't considered part of the community.  Talks on all the 
various distributions were given at the OpenSolaris Developers 
Conference last year.  All the various distribution contributors and 
creators participate via opensolaris.org mailing lists.

Speaking as one of the tonic team members, we simply didn't (don't?) 
have the infrastructure needs distributions require.  We didn't have SCM 
until recently.  We still don't have project bug tracking.  We don't 
provide a way for projects/communities to setup their own mailing lists 
without bugging Eric.

If I were any of the other distributions, I would have done the same thing.

Given the state of the current infrastructure, I don't feel Indiana 
would fare any better.  How will Indiana do distribution wide bug tracking?

>> Was the OpenSolaris website even equiped to handle such a download
>> and was that perhaps the reason that those other distributions
>> went elsewhere?
> 
> I believe that the resources necessary for building a distribution are 
> available on opensolaris.org, although the resources needed to sustain 
> it (mainly a repository for hosting the package system I think) are not. 
> It's perfectly possible some tuning and refactoring will be necessary as 
> whatever system we all create gains momentum.

cheers,
steve
-- 
stephen lau // stevel at sun.com | 650.786.0845 | http://whacked.net
opensolaris // solaris kernel development