[Fsedu-developers] Course of FSEDU

[Peter Minten]

Hi folks,

FSEDU currently suffers from a lack of progress. I believe we should really do
something about that. 

One of the main reasons I believe is halting the project is that people are
waiting for Forum. Forum is currently standing still because of a) it needs an
RDF database, b) the GUI toolkit may need to be changed in order to stay
compatible with DotGNU and c) I'm a terribly slow programmer. So for now it
might be best if we switch to a different groupware system, anybody some
experience with PhpGroupware? Forum is essentially a crappy groupware system
with a Jabber chatbox. PhpGroupware + Jabber + IRC (or PhpGroupware + Jabber
once more clients support the Multi-User Conference protocol) is an equivalent
solution (probably even better :-).

Another problem is the lack of organization. We have a wiki, a mailing list and
an IRC channel, so there is enough possibility for communication. But where is
the organization that support meaningful communication?

I believe we should (re)start a structuring process. A groupware system could
then be used to support this structure. First of all I recall us having a number
of goals, here's a small list of the most important ones:

    1. to support students in asserting their freedom in choice of software
    and to promote standard file formats

    2. to help teachers convert teaching material into standard formats

    3. to provide a central organization for all students to focus thier
    discussions to

    4. to link all the disparate student groups

    5. to produce a starter kit for new students with a cd full of software
    and documentation

    6. to create an petition for open file formats in educational
    materials

    7. working with existing initiatives

    8. providing learning materials for Free Software classes

    9. promoting Free Software at schools

These can be put into the following categories (areas):
* File Formats (1, 2, 6)
* Learning Free Software (5, 8)
* Uniting Student Groups (3, 4)
* Lobbying Schools (1, 2, 9)

Point 7 is inherent to the way hacker organizations operate and thus does not
need an own category.

Now we must map out what need to be done in what areas.

Greetings,

Peter