[Koha] Users and developers (was KUDOS - ALA Proposed Agenda)

[Chris Cormack]

Hi All


2010/1/22 Scott Kushner <skushner at mtpl.org>:
> Owen, MJ. Et. Al.
>
> Didn't mean to start a minor controversy amongst the list. Let me
> clarify what I meant.
>
> Where I see developers and users at odds (or, a "disconnect, if you
> will), is in the Request for Code Development process.
> Right now, we are all operating like little "islands" where each library
> goes through a long "planning process" in which each library decides
> what features that they absolutely need to see in Koha to operate daily
> and meet their patron's needs. Now, much development currently needed,
> which is not yet committed, is very redundant, and what I'm trying to
> suggest is that we all don't spend (and waste) time trying to re-invent
> the same wheel. Also, we can't really know what others are planning
> right now for KOHA without communicating to them, before the RFC
> process.
>
Ahh I think this is where the problem is.
The RFC shouldn't be the last thing you do. RFC or a enhancement bug
in bugzilla should be the first thing you do. IE before you start
planning, before you spec out solutions before you start any real work
of any kind, you should let the rest of the Koha (its a maori word,
not an acronym : a pet peeve of mine, feel free to ignore it :)) world
know that you are even thinking of doing so.


> I see KUDOS as a place where libraries can meet and discuss the code
> that they are "planning" to sponsor, before submitting to Bugzilla
> (brrr..) ,or the Koha Wiki, so code development can be leveraged before
> being submitted, thereby making the process more stream-lined and
> efficient.
>
Yeah, I think that if people aren't submitting to bugzilla or the wiki
before development is done, we are doing it wrong.

> Am I saying that developer's should be excluded from this process?
> Absolutely not.
>
> Am I saying that a KOHA USERS group is an excellent vehicle for the
> USERS to communicate and further leverage the planning process and
> development thereby making KOHA better. Absolutely.
>
> That is my take on the value of a "USERS" group in KOHA.
>
> If I am wrong, then, have at me....
>
>
I think KUDOS is a good idea, and as a place to pool ideas and
resources together for North American libraries it seems great.
I fear though, if the wider community is not informed early, we will
still have redundancy. IE Libraries and other users and other
developers need to let each other know, before any real planning takes
place. While KUDOS can do this for North American libraries, it still
needs to inform the rest of the world as early as possible, otherwise
we are only slightly reducing double up.
For about the last 7 months around 85% (hundreds of patcheds) of the
development has been done from people outside the US, so I think that
it is important (and I know people have thought of this already) that
KUDOS has an efficient and effective means of communicating early and
often to the rest of the world.

And finally, I don't see this as a controversy, and I don't see
reasoned debate/discourse as a problem either. I think this is how the
community used to, and should work again. Let's talk in the open, no
more cabal, no more back room deals. Open and honest is how the
community was, let's bring that back.

Chris
(Who has spent 4 days at linux.conf.au having his batteries recharged)