[WSIS CS-Plenary] Collaboration software debate

[Taran Rampersad]

Federico Heinz wrote:

>On Tue, 2005-04-12 at 14:31 -0500, Taran Rampersad wrote:
>  
>
>>I really wish people would stop talking about solutions and instead
>>implement one.
>>    
>>
>
>Well... if it's wishing time, I wish people would stop talking about
>solutions, but rather concentrate in needs first, and only then search
>for a solution.
>  
>
Rapid prototyping is what FLOS was built on. Why is it not happening in
this context? It seems to me that this would be a good way to
demonstrate the practical benefits of FLOS instead of having the same
discussion for *months*.

While I myself have asked for the same requirements that you speak of,
the sad truth of the matter is that nobody will really know what works
until they start from a prototype, analyze what is required from there,
and move on.

This is not a policy issue. This is an action item that has been
implicit. If I had the time, and the funding of a large organization, I
would probably have done at least one prototype by now. Further, I have
not seen this raised as an issue outside of the hallowed grounds of
these mailing lists, which makes me think of the transparency - or lack
of it - that the notable few within the Civil Society plenary have
discussed and tried to correct through weblogs and so forth.

Because I am busy, I have sat down and read all of these things with
increasing chagrin, and have finally been unable to stand it anymore.
Everyone with an agenda seems so determined on winning that they fail to
see that everyone wins if there is at least a prototype. Francis Muguet
says he has used a working prototype. So the next intuitive step is to
make it technically better. If people have problems with it, they should
say something.

Like it or not, we have to get things done despite agendas. While some
are busy being uncompromising - on both sides - the problems aren't
being solved. It's like watching politicians in a developing country. It
was RMS who said (paraphrased) that, "People get the government they
deserve. They deserve better than that." (original quote possibly from
Benjamin Franklin).

I think both sides need to realize that people deserve timely solutions,
not two sided monologues.

-- 
Taran Rampersad
Presently in: Esteli, Nicaragua
cnd at knowprose.com

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"Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo