Re: [ba-ohs-talk] Collaboration Improvemenet Ideas
Great, great post, Rod. (01)
I wish I could reply to Paul's response as well, so that
the two would be tied together. Ah, well. In the
meantime, I had to post one. (02)
I think Paul's reaction to the indemnification issue is
nothing if not prudent. The problem with legal documents
is that you *can't* base them on what you might
reasonably, expect. You *have* to base them on what
could happen, no matter how seemingly remote the
possibility. (03)
Otherwise, you put yourself in a position where you can
find yourself royally screwed. (04)
So I think it makes sense to resolve that issue. (05)
If a GPL license will get people building stuff and begin to
produce work product, then by God we should go for it! (06)
I tend to think in commercial terms, but that doesn't make
it the only viable path. Mosaic was given away for several
years before it accreted enough users to enjoy the snowball
effect. I expect that a similar timeline would be followed for
a KM-based collaboration tool, so free stuff makes sense. (07)
You're right, though. We *haven't* fully resolved the issues
that would let us write a specification for others to follow.
We know we need quite a bit more trial and error before
we'll be in a position to do that. (08)
If that path works, it will take care of humanity, which is the
more important goal. As for my personal goals, of course,
there is still a mismatch. (09)
Especially with a GPL license, after 5 years of (let us assuime)
totally successful development, I'd still find myself in the same
position that I am in today -- having to work at other jobs,
unable to devote as much time as I would like to the projects
that I conceive as important at that time. (010)
The moral dilemma then becomes:
a) Do I devote my spare time to a project that benefits
humanity, but which holds no promise for freeing up
my time for other important work, or
b) Will I do more good in the long run by working on a
project which achieves lesser goals, but which produces
the wherewithal to spend more time on good projects
in the future. (011)
It's not an easy choice, because there is no clear way to see the
outcome. You kind of have to go with your gut, I guess. (012)
It will be interesting to see how this project develops, and how
my other ideas pan out!
:_) (013)