On Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 10:46 PM, Kevin Mark <kevin.m...@verizon.net> wrote: > On Fri, Sep 09, 2011 at 03:33:13PM -0500, Joel Sherrill wrote: >> Hi, > <snip> >> So I am begging all of you professors, instructors, etc.to please approach >> FOSS >> projects for help. We are happy to help you out. >> >> --joel sherrill >> RTEMS > > Just a few clarifications: > from what I read (using cheese on fedora?), would you suggest to ask for help > from: > the upstream project, > the package maintainer for a certain distro, > the upstream of the supporting libraries, > the package maintainer of the supporting libraries for a certain distro, etc.
This is not my particular programming area so this is with a grain of salt. But I would have started with the upstream project you wanted to enhance and get guidance on how best to support your students in doing that. For example, with RTEMS the core developers (for historical reasons mostly) tend to use RPM based distributions. Nothing against Debian/Ubuntu, it is just what we all use. It is easier to start with RTEMS on an RPM based distribution. Choosing something else will possibly put an unnecessary bug in your way. So the upstream package folks may have a preferred environment for development. Go with the flow and get their advice/mentoring. The package maintainer may or may not keep up with the development head. They may not be a core developer. Who knows. If you are really interested in the package on distribution X, then you don't have any choice but to get them involved but you still need upstream. If the issue is in supporting libraries, then you probably still should l discuss the issue with the core maintainers to ensure that is indeed the issue. Then the problem rolls downhill to whomever it needs to. As I understand your goal, it is to add features to Cheese. Not Cheese on distribution X. Not teach distribution X. Use what the core developers use. Take the path of least resistance and most support from core team. > Would something like a mailing list for professors using distro X as a basis > to > teach programming be useful? Yes. That would be a great way to handle teaching questions but if you have a technical question beyond the list, that's the rub. But the list is only as useful as a collecting point and maybe being enough "weight" to get help when you need it from the distribution folks. I think the key is that you don't want to be a lone voice in the wilderness. Just my 2 cents. And given on pain killers. I am still recovering from surgery last week. Random ramblings may be drug induced. :) --joel RTEMS > > -- > | .''`. == Debian GNU/Linux ==.| http://kevix.myopenid.com......| > | : :' : The Universal OS....| mysite.verizon.net/kevin.mark/.| > | `. `' http://www.debian.org/.| http://counter.li.org [#238656]| > |___`-____Unless I ask to be CCd,.assume I am subscribed._________| > > If all the Chinese simultaneously jumped into the Pacific off a 10 foot > platform erected 10 feet off their coast, it would cause a tidal wave > that would destroy everything in this country west of Nebraska. > _______________________________________________ tos mailing list tos@teachingopensource.org http://lists.teachingopensource.org/mailman/listinfo/tos
