cheers ----- Original Message ----- From: "Suraj.co.in" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "ILUG-Chennai" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2001 8:13 AM Subject: [ilugc] [Fwd] Linux Project Needs Volunteers
> FYI > > -Suraj > > > ----- Forwarded message from John Buswell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----- > > > From: John Buswell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Linux Project Needs Volunteers > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Envelope-to: suraj@localhost > > Delivery-date: Sun, 16 Dec 2001 08:11:38 +0530 > > X-X-Sender: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > X-UIDL: 74cbdf45e3d26a7d8c76602be999c16d > > > > Hello, > > > > I am sending out this email to a selected group of Linux User Groups, > > hoping that at some of these groups there maybe members interested > > in volunteering for a very ambitious Linux project. The project is > > well underway and will be completed, we're hoping that with the > > edition of more volunteers the project will be completed faster. > > Please continue reading if you think you maybe able to find us some > > volunteers. > > > > About the project > > =================== > > > > The project is called Opaque Networks, the goal of the project is > > to promote Linux through education, information and innovation. The > > project currently consists of 14 web site projects, 3 open source > > projects and the maintenance of a fairly complex distributed network. > > The project is completely funded by myself, and is made possible through > > volunteers donating their spare time to the project. > > > > Currently only 1 of our 14 web based projects are on-line, the rest are > > all under development, and the only thing preventing them from being > > completed within the next few months is manpower. The project that we > > have on-line is TuxPPC (you may know it as imaclinux.net), which is a > > site dedicated to information on running Linux on PowerPC systems. > > > > The following projects, in my mind, if done correctly and done soon, > > could have a dramatic impact on the Linux world. I have outlined the > > projects that are under development below. > > > > freelinux.info > > .................. > > > > This project is pretty simple. It aims to provide a high quality, > > very small portal site that provides instant access to free linux > > information. This would include only sites that provide high quality > > information and are currently available (such as linux.com, ldp etc). > > The idea is to put useful information right at your fingertips without > > having to search or know where to look. > > > > linuxnetworking.info > > ...................... > > > > This would be a site similar in design to tuxppc, providing the latest > > news on linux networking, useful resources such as easy-to-follow > > step-by-step guides to setting up networking features such as ip tunnelling, > > bgp, ospf, is-is, advanced routing, qos, load balancing and so on.. > > > > freelinuxtraining.org > > ....................... > > > > This project provides free commerical grade linux training material. > > > > migrate2linux.org > > .................. > > > > This project provides an advocacy site that targets specific groups - > > (a) schools/colleges, (b) small business, (c) enterprise, (d) developers, > > and (e) home users. The site would provide case studies, methods of > > integrating linux with other commerical products (such as networking > > vendors) and so on. > > > > linuxdtp.org > > ............. > > > > This project provides a site dedicated to Linux desktop publishing. > > >From scanning, printing to writing documents and building presentations. > > > > corruptfs > > ........... > > > > This project provides a site dedicated to filesystems, a resource for > > system administrators and developers. Providing performance stats, > > reviews and technical analysis of various filesystems available for use > > with linux. It would also provide recovery information and tips :) > > > > linuxcast.org > > ............... > > > > This project provides a site dedicated to receiving and transmitting > > various media under linux, from receiving traditional tv/radio, to > > making your own internet radio station. > > > > localbroadband.org > > .................... > > > > This project provides a site dedicated to using broadband internet > > connections with linux, recommending local ISPs, guides on setting up > > cable/dsl/satellite etc with Linux. > > > > contentnetworking.info > > ....................... > > > > This project provides a site dedicated to advanced content networking > > technologies, their development under linux and how to use current > > "black box" contentnetworking technologies with Linux. Content networking > > would include content distribution as well as layer 4-7 load balancing and > > content manipulation. > > > > linuxtrained.org > > .................. > > > > This project provides a site dedicated to linux professionals. It acts as > > a news site to keep professionals up2date on what they need to know about > > advances in technology as well as advances in Linux. It also acts as a > > means for networking (people not data) in the Linux world. > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > There are a couple of other projects but they are either complete or > > require the above to be completed first. > > > > As far as open source projects go, like I said we have three. > > The first is another Linux distribution. This one is a little > > different though, its developed for x86 and ppc (and we are strongly > > considering adding mips and sparc to the mix), it adheres to most of > > the LSB 1.0 definition, and it is loosely based around RPM. The goal > > of the distribution is to provide a highly flexible environment to > > build servers or routers from. The second project is an interface to > > use with the distribution to turn the whole thing into an out-of-the-box > > solution to build Linux routers or servers. Yes I'm aware of the LRP, this > > goes well beyond what the LRP provides currently and its aimed at providing > > a more networking-centric means to configure Linux networking features > > like vlans, bgp, ospf, etc. > > > > The third project is a content distribution system, designed to eliminate > > the need to list mirror sites and to dynamically handle load and distance > > vectors. > > > > Network Infrastructure > > ------------------------ > > > > We have a pretty good network infrastructure in place. Currently, > > we have a server farm (web/dns/mail/ftp) that is load balanced and > > consists of 3 servers. The network is monitored and protected by a > > system that performs NIDS as well as regular network monitoring. We > > have several support servers for administration and development work. > > > > We have two broadband commerical grade internet connections, our > > primary connection is a 2MB/1MB and our secondary connection is a 768k > > connection. We have approximately 2 hours of UPS backup power, and in > > the event of a complete failure we have a remote redundent server > > co-locate with a completely different company which will kick in. > > > > Our network is monitored 24x7 by pager monitoring, as well as at least > > three administrators in different time zones. > > > > Problems with Volunteers > > ------------------------- > > > > We have managed to recruit approximately 20 people in the last 6 months, > > out of that 20, only 3 have actually come through and complete volunteer > > work. The problem is that people like the idea of the project, volunteer, > > get access to the network, but then don't follow through by assisting with > > the work. > > > > As a result, we are now trying a different approach. Previously, we've > > been recruiting people into individual projects by irc, word of mouth, > > occasional postings to usenet or linux sites. We are hoping that by > > approaching Linux user groups, that they will know local people who > > are enthusiastic about linux, and have the ability to take some inititive > > and are responsible enough to follow through with projects. > > > > Advantages > > ----------- > > > > There are many advantages with helping us out. Aside from making > > contacts with other professionals, having access to technologies and > > concepts that are bleeding edge, there is also a chance for people to > > gain experience they can use on their resumes. So far, three volunteers > > have managed to get better jobs as a result of working on our projects > > and through the contacts they made. > > > > Who we need > > ------------- > > > > We need all sorts of volunteers. We could really do with some people > > who have good html/php skills, possibly some people who have a talent > > for designing nice professional looking sites with browser compatability, > > as well as people who like to design graphics/logos/icons etc. > > > > We need one or two system administrators, mainly for security and > > advanced projects (like setting up snmp, mrtg etc). Anyone with a clue, > > willing to listen and do some research would work well. > > > > We need contributors of course, especially anyone willing to write > > training material, howtos, guides or willing to setup test environments > > and generate performance stats. > > > > We also have some less technical roles that we need to fill. For starters, > > having someone who is in charge of managing and recruiting new volunteers > > would be great, we had someone but they got a job at a recruitement > > agency and no longer have time to work for us. > > > > We would also like to have a PR person, someone who would work with > > other sites like linux.com, newsforge etc., that would try to attract more > > people to the site, as well as working with non-linux sites to expose > > non-linux people to linux. > > > > We could also use some extra people to manage website projects, making > > sure that sites don't slide, keeping an eye on webstats, working with the > > PR person etc. > > > > If you can help!! > > ------------------ > > > > First off, thanks :) Please contact me via email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > It might make my life a little easier if you have multiple volunteers > > from one group, to pick a point of contact initially so i'm not replying > > to lots of email (i'm being optimistic here) :) > > > > If you can help, please indicate how you would like to help, and what > > projects in particular you would be interested in working on. > > > > Finally - a bit about me!! > > --------------------------- > > > > Just in case you get email from crazy people all the time.. > > > > I'm a sustaining engineer for Nortel Networks. I work on intelligent > > switch equipment (rapid firmware bugfixes). I use linux on a daily basis, > > both in a desktop and server environment. Prior to working at Nortel, > > I worked for MandrakeSoft. I was the initial developer for their PowerPC > > port, and worked on a lot of the RPMs for 7.0. Prior to working at > > MandrakeSoft, I worked at OneNet Communications as a systems engineer. There > > I provided server and network security (all linux systems), as well as > > performing most of the system admin and hardware maintenance tasks. I > > graduated from the University of Limerick with an honors degree in > > Information Technology and Telecommunications. I was first introduced > > to Linux in 1995 at university. > > > > --------------------------- > > > > Thanks for your time, and I hope you can help me out. > > > > Regards > > > > John Buswell > > Project Lead / Founder > > Opaque Networks > > > > > > ----- End forwarded message ----- > > -- > +----------------------------------------------<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>--+ > | Knowledge by learning gives eyes to the mind to see the | > | truth; the vision of the ignorant is a blind sore | > | (education - 3), Thirukkural | > +--<http://chennailug.org/~suraj/>-------------------------------------+ > --- > Visit our home page at: http://www.chennailug.org > Send e-mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" with "unsubscribe" > in either the subject or the body to unsubscribe from this list. _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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