> On Fri, 6 Aug 1999 18:43:45 +0200 (METDST), Asger K. Alstrup Nielsen wrote:
[...]
> Hi,
>
> We have been discussing this internally, that's why my answer took
> some time...
>
> It seems to be the case that it is a much better idea to go for the
> development branch, but... We have been discussing the possibilities
> and decided that if we are going to spend some resources, than we
> definitely do not want to create a dead port. We are, however, willing
> to spend some resources because LyX seems to be an ideal solution for
> our purposes.
>
> So, I have a few questions:
>
> 1) When it might be the best time to start spending resources? By that
> I meant the time to start creating the NT port. At the beginning of
> the next year (i.e. year 2000)?
>
> 2) I might be able to get some people to do something during this
> year, but those people are not very skilled. (Students, actually) Are
> there any parts of the development branch which could be divided into
> a few months student project? Would that speed up the process?
Are they good? ;-)
> It might be possible to do some work this fall and next spring. This
> fall could probably be a limited student project and during the
> springtime I could get some skilled people to do the porting...
>
> Are there other ways to speed up the process? We are willing to spend
> some money. But not very much... :-)
This looks like the sort of thing for a NorFA application. They fund things
like "Nordic Research Workshops", for which they continuously approve
applications below 30000 Norwegian Crowns (so it is a fast process).
It says:
"Research workshops are designed to meet the need for intensive communication
and exchange of ideas among research students and researchers. They serve as a
training environment in which research students, through prepared
presentations and discussions, learn to interact with each other and with more
experienced scholars and scientists."
There are alternative forms. In fact, it says "NorFA welcomes ideas and
suggestions for new forms of support. Therefore, it is possible to apply for
the support of activities which are not included in any of the categories that
have been described above, but which lie within NorFA's general purpose and
mission. ... Please feel free to consult NorFA's secretariat before submitting
an application."
I once used NorFA (Nordisk Forskarutdanningsakademi) for financing a
Nordic-Baltic workshop on "Co-ordinate systems, GPS, and the geoid". They are
very flexible, know what they are doing and are remarkably un-bureaucratic.
And chances of approval are a lot better than in the EU circuit. I expect they
would love to do something unconventional like a hands-on open source software
development teaching workshop.
The idea would be to organize the meeting e.g. in Jyväskylä (i.e. the
organizer/applicant would be ITRI, which is appropriate being an institute in
the professional field of the meeting) and call experts from other Nordic
countries to provide hands-on experience to a group of students and starting
developers, as a kick-off. Such visitors could be Asger and lgb (being from
Nordic countries). To get Jean-Marc and Juergen over, would require other
money...
NorFA - Nordic Academy for Advanced Study
Nedre Vollgate 8
N-0158 Oslo
tel. +47 22 82 86 20
Fax: +47 22 82 86 21
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I'd be happy to help.
Martin
