Linux Today reader Joshua Drake writes:
To the Linux Community and the Members of the LDP:
My concerns are for the LDP as a whole and, as I feel that
certain items are not in the justice of the LDP, I can and will
speak my mind. Although I am not always successful, I try hard to
present thoughtful arguments to ideas and develop each idea that is
presented.
Recently however, it seems as if some of us are going in
basically the same direction, while others are off in the distance
somewhere. This is not a slam, nor am I trying to cause a stir. I
am trying merely to present something for thought. I appreciate
that people are trying to grow the LDP. I appreciate the ideals
that they are trying to set forth. I do not however agree with the
tactics or direction of said tactics.
I have heard several arguments about not enjoying possible
commercialism of the LDP. I agree with this, however I do not feel
creating conglomerate open source movements is any better than
becoming a Class C Corporation and starting to charge for
everything we do.
I have said this before, and I will say it again. I do not want
to create a commercial LDP like Redhat. I want to organize it like
Apache.
This is not to say we should become a non-profit, it is not even
a course of suggestion. Apache was what it is before it became a
non-profit, the most successful Open Source project in existence.
Yes, even more so than our beloved Linux.
Apache is a portal of driven individuals and corporations who
want to create the absolute best Web serving platform available.
The continued support from companies such as IBM and Sun have
created an application platform that few if any, can compete with.
The dedication and focus of the Apache Group has grown a would be
competitor and clone of NCSA to be the most widely used production
open-source product in the world.
This my vision for the LDP. No, we do not develop software. We
develop the capability for users of software to understand
software.
All of us know far to well what it is like to create something
or use something that is sorely lacking support. All of us also
know that the first and foremost used support is documentation.
I am calling on every Linux user who has figured something out
to document it. I am asking that every person who enjoys the
proliferation of the Linux Documentation Projects’ products to join
ldp-discuss. If you have a small document that covers a topic,
bring it to our attention. If you have an idea for a document or
would just like to help out, let us know. If you have already
created a document, join ldp-submit and present the document.
To visit the LDP point your browser to www.linuxdoc.org
To join ldp-discuss send an email to ldp-discuss-request@lists.linuxdoc.org
with the word Subscribe in the body of the message.
To join ldp-submit, send an email to ldp-submit-request@lists.linuxdoc.org
with the word Subscribe in the body of the message.
Your thoughts and efforts are appreciated.