The Journey (Resan)

[Will Martin]

Marcus,

> What we want to do is a CD (or other medium) that doesn't
> only contain free software but also information about the free 
> software movement. All the way from its birth to the present. By 
> doing this we hope to place each program in a wider perspective and 
> describe not only what it is but also why it was written and maybe 
> why it looks/works like it does. 

We at the OpenCD did include some literature about open source/free 
software -- "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" for one, and "Free as in 
Freedom", along with several other essays.  What you're proposing 
sounds rather more ambitious; sort of a biography-of-a-program, its 
beginnings, growth, and continuing development.  I think it sounds 
interesting.

> We hope to make this available so it can be deployed both on the 
> OpenCD and Knoppix. We intend to make the first version in Swedish. 
> After that we hope to have an English version if it is wanted. So 
> Swedish contributors are wanted.

Well, speaking for the OpenCD, I think we could probably find space for 
such a thing, provided it wasn't too big, and fits in okay.  And yes, 
we would want it in English. :-)  Incidentally, we'd love to have a 
Swedish translation of the OpenCD -- we are working on the second 
edition right now, and it will have a new installer that's easier to 
localize.  Could we get in touch with you in a couple of months once 
it's getting closer to the planned release date in March?

> - Do you think this is this a good idea?

Yes.

> - Do you want it?

Yes, if it's not too big and fits in with the OpenCD theme okay; I 
couldn't presume to speak for Knoppix.  May I suggest focussing on a 
program that would be available in both the OpenCD and Knoppix?  
AbiWord, maybe.

> - Does this already exist?

Well, Eric S. Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" is pretty close 
to what you are proposing; it discusses the evolution of fetchmail.  
You can read it (in Swedish) at this url:

http://home.swipnet.se/swi/KatB-se.html

> - Does my English make sense?
>   - If not, I'm sorry, did my best!

Your English is fine.  Much better than some.  (One fellow who 
contacted me via email didn't speak any English at all; he used 
babelfish.altavista.com to translate from Spanish.)

Will Martin
Project Lead -- The OpenCD Project