Hi LyXnicians,
While researching ways to get money from the EU for research projects I
stumbled upon something that might be of some interest for us also. It is a
programme belonging to the Fifth Framework Programme called FET --Future and
Emerging Technologies, and under that, Universal Information Ecosystems. This
is part of the Framework IST programme: Information Society Technologies.
It is found at
http://www.cordis.lu/ist/fetuie.htm
When I read it, I got such a strong feeling of "deja vu". This initiative is
describing the way open sourse software development works! "Information
ecosystems", sure -- the Internet, Linux software projects, Digital Darwinism
-- it's all there.
I don't really think honestly that they intended this; but it works. Just read
it! There is another document about FET Proactive Initiatives, and you know
what? This is "blue skies" money. All you need is a bold idea that has a
remote potential of changing the world. In case you formulate the project as
an "assessment project", you don't even have to promise a concrete product --
just the result of what you set out to assess. And the money is made available
as a lump sum. See
http://www.cordis.lu/ist/fetintro.htm
Now this may seem far-out to you, but I see a possibility here. There is a LOT
of money in the IST programme, some 800 ME every year to be precise. So what
about the LyX Team trying to get some of that money, e.g. for a "LyX Usability
Initiative", and allow some core developers to spend full time on some of
these useability issues that have been discussed here?
Participation in some form would have the positive side effect of putting the
issue of software openness "on the agenda" in the EU system. Heaven knows they
could do with that, their PDF docs contain smart quotes and dingbats that
don't print.
You may feel that this is crazy, and you may well be right. But consider it! I
even went as far as to make a draft proposal (to be read with some sense of
humour), posted at
http://www.netby.net/Oest/Europa-Alle/vermeer/LUI.lyx
(replace documentclass neo-art by article)
Let me know what you think. Call me crazy. Make a better proposal. Whatever.
Martin
