pcplantdb

[Stephanie Gerson <sgerson@stanfordalumni.org>]

so, tools.

we need them.

we need them for:
-technical spec
-team communication 

Regarding the technical spec, glad we're having this discussion.  
Definitely agree with Richard A. that a technical spec is our foremost 
priority - and I tried to write one (at least, a project plan) but of 
course it's somewhat difficult to write about technical details that I 
don't completely understand.

components:
1. technical spec
2. someone to write it

For 1., we need a suitable tool.  AFAIK, options include:
i. wiki (easy to use/manage/contribute to)
ii. CVS (apparently more complicated)
iii. something else?

So I suggest we go with i. unless someone has a better idea.  However, 
what is the final format of our speec?  An .rtf doc?  A wiki page?  An 
excel sheet?  Should it be printable/interactive/otherwise?  And, if 
necessary, how/who will translate the spec from the creative format (i.e. 
wiki) to the final (i.e. .rft doc)?

As for 2., I'd Love to say I'll do it but I honestly don't know enough.  
Is someone going to volunteer?  If not, I might pursue Johns's suggestion 
of soliciting someone to help with our technical documentation needs.  
Does anyone have ideas, would any of you like to assume this role, or 
should I make a call out to the list(s)?

Yes, this technical spec is our first priority right now and I'm willing 
to help do whatever it takes to get it done.

= =

Now, regarding communication tools.

Our need: to communicate effectively (please elaborate on what your 
communication needs are as you see them).

Options include:
i. listserv
ii. wiki
iii. IM
iv. one-to-one phone calls
v. conference call
vi. discussion forums (i.e. ThinkCycle) - comparable to wiki?
vii. telepathy
viii. communication via the dreamworld
iv. other ideas?

Let's discuss our needs and how to satisfy them successfully.

= =

Thanks Chad for expressing yourself.  And thanks Rich for rooting!

Chad, you said you wanted more checkins/progress updates - I ask for them 
weekly and no one responds.  I'm still intent on receiving updates from 
team members every Sunday - how can I demand them without being rude?  I 
find myself in a strange situation.  I want to be able to delegate 
responsibility, ask for things to get done - essentially *manage* the 
project - but I also recognize this is primarily a volunteer effort, so I 
don't know how far I can go without being overbearing.  Responses to this 
appreciated.

Finally, discussions I'd like to introduce to the PIW list:
-market-farming/SARE discussion
-Rich's wikipedia/security model 

Or should I wait?

That's it for now.

good night, morning, or afternoon
*Stephanie

p.s.  hey Chad, if you want it to be recreational, we don't have to pay 
you ;) haha

  

------ Original Message ------
Received: 04:50 PM PST, 03/02/2005
From: Chad Knepp <pyg@galatea.org>
To: Permaculture Plant Database <pcplantdb@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [pcplantdb] CVS, spec

John Schinnerer writes:
 > Aloha,
 > 
 > I am thinking of a spec more as a project necessity than a motivating 
 > factor.
 > 
 > I was originally intimidated by CVS systems too, and what I found when 
I 
 > had to use one on a job was that as a simple user of one it's not that 
 > big a deal.

I also think it's pretty easy to use and if your experience varies
from that at least it's well documented.

 > Once one knows how to check out and in a file/document, that about 
 > covers it for users.
 > 
 > There are existing open source CVS available, such as sourceforge.
 > 
 > Does ibiblio have one available?

Not only that, it's currently the authoritive repository for
everything I've done so far.  There is no external way to checkout
code (a pserver), but everyone with an account can 'co' and members of
the piw group have commit access.

 > If we start docs on a wiki (which we did before, and it fizzled) then 
 > there is more work to format and formalize them and put them into a 
CVS 
 > later...who is going to do that?  I don't have time...
 > 
 > another $ .02... :-)
 > 
 > John S.

-- 
Chad Knepp
python -c 'import base64;print 
base64.decodestring("cHlnQGdhbGF0ZWEub3Jn")'
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+++++++++++++++
Stephanie Gerson
sgerson@stanfordalumni.org
(c) 415.871.5683


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