I believe what ASTI can do is, take the Lindows model, where they based their distro from debian (correct me if im wrong), but enhanced and simplify it for the end users. Though it's still a lot of work, I think ASTI can handle it.
On Thu, 2003-06-26 at 21:32, Dean Michael Berris wrote: > hi everyone, > > i think this post might be too late, or too oversimplifying, however i would > still want to share my 2 cents worth regarding this. > > advie: if you're tired of this issue/thread, please ignore this email message > and delete it NOW. :) > > Lito A. Lampitoc wrote: > > > > I have a friend from DOST from one of the institute there, he's been > > using Linux since 1996 and I mentioned to him about Bayanihan Linux, he > > seems not to be impressed at all about the effort because he told me > > that it is only based on RedHat and why does people daw from ASTI can't > > create their own distro from scratch, besides it is more reputable and > > will add more prestige if they create one. He even told me that ASTI > > isn't even using Bayanihan in their own office. > > ok. im also out to build my own distro for the University of the Philippines, > and it would be nice to hear details such as these from other people. > > however, as much as i would like to create my own distro from scratch, i know my > limitations and capabilities. i know i can, and that i am capable of doing it > just like everyone here in the list is. however, i also know my limits, and one > of these limits is the fact that i know that i cannot alone duplicate the > efforts that have been put forward by other distro makers like RH, MDK, Debian, > and Slackware. > > i know i am limited by my resources, by my time, and by my willingness. i am not > willing to reinvent the wheel anytime soon especially when it's my thesis on the > line. > > since i am limited by my resources, being a UP student with no government > backing for my endeavor is a great disadvantage. and this disadvantage is a > limiting one. > > so instead of creating my linux distro from scratch, i would rather base it on a > working distro like Debian (which i will do for that matter) and customize it so > that i will meet the needs of those that i will want to cater it to (like > students in the university). > > my dream is to be able to give every new freshman, or registering comsci student > a copy of my distro -- and i have no plans of charging for them. so if i was > going through all that trouble of creating the distro from scratch, it would be > insane or hypocritical of me to do so. > > think of it this way -- if you have a car, and you don't like the wheels that > came with it, you could always buy a new set of mags and tires for your new car. > now the makers of the aluminum mag based their idea on the ancienct as well as > modern rendition of the whell, but then they didn't have to reinvent it -- they > just had to leverage on what was already out there and availeble. > > similarly, ASTI wasn't out to reinvent the distribution or any distribution for > that matter -- they wanted to leverage off of what was there and existing, to > create something that's custom tailored for their market/audience. now like the > aluminum mag maker, ASTI took the idea and base of RH and then forked off of it > to start modifying the distribution as they and the developers see fit. > > ASTI is being practical, instead of overly ambitious and trying to be ASTIg. > > > He told me that ASTI should be focusing more on new and future > > technologies that can be adapted to the Phil. government agencies, > > though Linux is good for the government and ASTI's effort to implement > > it is excellent, he commented that there is nothing new to it and > > Bayanihan as well. A derivation is fine, or porting an MS apps to Linux > > like an accounting system for the govt., and share it under GPL, he > > mentioned. He cited some projects done by ASTI, that he believe doesnt > > fit the goal of ASTI. I will not mention his named but I believe he is > > making some interesting points. > > of course, we can blabber all we want about what ASTI should do, and what ASTI > must do, but the question is really -- what can ASTI do? I know that the > Philippine government has a tight budget, but i cannot contest that ASTI may be > able to do a few ambitious and prestige seeking things like creating a linux > distribution from scratch. > > but then what this person is saying, is something like an observer would when he > sees a painter painting the wall. > > of course, by just watching the painter, you might have a few questions like -- > why does he do it that way, wouldn't it be better if he did it this way? or some > questions and comments like 'why does the paint look so darn bad? is he even > qualified to do that? i could do a better job!'. > > however, the person may know nothing about painting, or the person might have > never painted in his life -- but then the painter is there, actually doing > something. if the person knew better, he should just shut up and not say > anything about something he know absolutely nothing about. > > or if he can't shut up, just let him do it himself. let's see if other people > won't have anything to say about his work too. > > or if he knew how to paint, then he should find a wall which he can paint. > > it's really just a matter of willingness and means. if you have the will, and > you have the means, go ahead and do it. otherwise, sit down, shut up, and live > your own life (or paint your own wall). > > > > > Don't take this as an desctructive criticsm, but a rather a constructive > > one. > > > > yes, and i'm smiling lito. :) > > > Thanks. > > > > thank you too! :) -- Lito A. Lampitoc :http://www.codewan.com.ph Systems & Network Administrator :Countrywide Devt. Wide Area Network -- Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph) Official Website: http://plug.linux.org.ph Searchable Archives: http://marc.free.net.ph . To leave, go to http://lists.q-linux.com/mailman/listinfo/plug . Are you a Linux newbie? To join the newbie list, go to http://lists.q-linux.com/mailman/listinfo/ph-linux-newbie
