[FreeGeek] First Software Committee Meeting Minutes

[Terry Lowe]

Software Committee Meeting, Feb 21, 2007

The software committee meeting consisted of: Terry, Sean, and David. 
Scott and Joe were unable to attend, although Joe was supposed to, 
but never showed. A webcam link to Scott did not work.

We set an agenda to discuss the following:

* Distros: which distro should FG Vancouver use?
* A review of FG Portland's software.
* Other software that FG Vancouver might need.

The distro question can best be summarized as: what do we want FG 
Vancouver boxes to go out with? What are the people who get a FG box 
going to get?

We divided this question in half, and restated it as:

* What are the needs of an average user, who only needs a 
desktop/client system?
* What are the needs of a a non-profit user, who needs a server?
* How do these needs differ? And how best to meet that?

But first we had to get through the question of proprietary drivers, 
which have been a big issue in the Ubuntu world of late.

Should FreeGeek provide systems with such drivers (ie Flash, MP3 etc)?

Our tentative answer is: Yes, if only so people won't feel "limited" 
during ordinary Internet use. But that answer comes with a qualifier, 
in that people who receive such systems should also be directed to a 
FG Linux Clinic so they can learn more about this issue.

Subsequently, another question arose: Should FG provide tech support 
for a system that has had third-party proprietary drivers added to it 
by a user who has learned enough to add such? The answer to that is 
more definitive: Yes; we'll restore the system to its original state, 
and then direct the user to the FG Linux Clinic.

* Next issue: is Ubuntu stable enough to use on a FG-supplied server 
(such as might be required by a suitable non-profit needing a 
database server, for example)?

We had some concerns about whether Ubuntu's aggressive "Six Month 
Release Cycle" is useful, helpful, or even wise.

The answer to the server question is No, and this is primarily 
because Ubuntu uses a pre-emptive kernel, which is not yet entirely 
stable. A better idea would be to use Debian for FG servers, and use 
Ubuntu's last known stable release for desktop systems.

Thus, the needs of an average user we defined as:

Web browser, email, basic office software; and, of course, an 
assumption of reliability and stability. Therefore, FG needs to 
provide that as a primary installation. We will probably add another 
more complex installation later, after assessing user needs and comments.

The second agenda item (a review of FG Portland's software) was 
postponed, due to Joe's absence, since he is the only one of us who 
has studied it in detail.

The third agenda item (other software that FG Vancouver might need) 
was also postponed, for the same reason, although we did decide that 
a simple web-based app for counting incoming inventory will be 
required, so Terry should make a demo in PHP.