[theforum] weo 2b: to OSS or not?

Elfur Logadóttir elfur at elfur.is
Mon Nov 8 16:57:28 CST 2004


.:| From: David Kaufman
.:| 
.:| Madhu Menon <webguru at vsnl.net> wrote:
.:| > There's also the issue of dumping all the development knowledge
.:| > accumulated over the years that we've spent working on the current
.:| > system. 

What knowledge accumulation?
What development?

.:| > The "start from scratch"
.:| > approach is not always a good one, especially if you're 
.:| not going to involve the original developer(s).

Is anyone really considering starting from scratch?
I'm not. I'm considering using drupal out of the box, with the developed
modules that can be downloaded from their website.
There might be a few things that would need a module rewrite/creation ...
And i think those things should wait until afther the transfer is complete -
absolutely.

.:| > Apart from customising whatever software you pick, you 
.:| will also have
.:| > to migrate the existing data - articles, users, comments, ratings,
.:| > etc. without losing any of it. Is everyone here confident 
.:| it will all
.:| > go without a hitch?
.:| 
.:| That was exactly my point, too.  If we expect to move off 
.:| of the current 
.:| server in 90 days, we don't really have time to dick around 
.:| debating new 
.:| features, new publishing workflows, and writing new software.

Right. Which is why i thought we would migrate to a CMS like Drupal/Zope or
any other out of the box. And add to that as time goes by. 
Then the 'only' thing we'd need to focus on for the next couple of months is
the migration of the data, which i realise will be PITA any which way you
go.

.:| I'm normally the loudest evangelical proponent of OSS 
.:| solutions, but in this case [...]
.:| I think we must consider the 
.:| easiest, quickest option, which is to just run the same 
.:| system we have now, by porting it to ColdFusion for Linux

Right. I suppose this could be done as an interim solution ... But, I don't
know .... My problem with evolt.org right now is its dullness and out of
dateness. I thought it would be a good idea to somehow rekindle some
enthusiasm.

.:| > And lastly, how are we already making software 
.:| recommendations without
.:| > putting down actual functional requirements? I'd really 
.:| > like to see that first.
.:| 
.:| +1 to that!
.:| 
.:| This is why I'm pushing for the no-spec spec.  There will 
.:| be ~plenty~ of issues to resolve in this short period of
.:| time, just moving these sites, all the lists and their 
.:| archives and settings, and getting the *current* 
.:| content publishing backend working *without* changing the 
.:| functionality, too.

Right. That's right as well, but what if we tone down on the specing and
just select the suitable modules we want and get on with it.
I don't want us to drown in red tape once again.

.:| I fear that much of the current debate *presumes* that a complete 
.:| rewrite is GOING to be performed before 31 Jan, and seeks to pick a 
.:| platform first, and then spec new features for a ground up 
.:| rewrite.

Again, is anyone really considering rewrite? Aren't we considering off the
shelf stuff?

.:| The goal is what is being muddied in these waters.  I think 
.:| that the goal should be limited right now, to JUST moving
.:| leo, weo, deo and beo (did i miss any?) successfully to our
.:| ServerMatrix machine on schedule. 

Right. Although, moving weo is a different task from moving the rest. It's
just the weo move that is with this date deadline, but all should of course
been moved asap.

.:| C'mon guys, I like Drupal too, and this discussion represents great 
.:| progress that is very important to the long-term success of 
.:| evolt, but it is not urgent.  Moving, on time is urgent and 
.:| important.  Can we really hope to iron out all the new
.:| features being proposed, write all this new code, integrate
.:| all these OSS tools, fix the inevitable bugs 
.:| and problems and convert all of our existing data, all 
.:| while also moving to a new O/S and hosting provider? 
.:| Isn't that like converting your car 
.:| from gasoline to hydrogen, while driving it down the highway?

Again with the code-writing. I'm still under the influence of 'off the
shelf' module-based product. But I might be wrong. 
And also, what new features have been proposed, really?

Cheers
Elfur




More information about the theforum mailing list