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List:       kde-promo
Subject:    [kde-promo] KDE League Issues
From:       Jono Bacon <jonobacon_lists () yahoo ! co ! uk>
Date:       2002-02-12 15:05:41
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Hi all,

If you are reading this, you probably saw a message on a mailing list of 
somewhere asking for your comments on this document and the points it raises. 
Please send all comments to me at jonoATkdeDOTorg or to the kde-promo. To 
subscribe, see

	http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-promo/

Introduction

I am writing this document due to concerns that I and some other developers 
have had over the KDE League. I am good friends with many KDE developers and 
also developers who are part of the League - I have contacted Andreas Pour 
who is on the League board and expressed these concerns - Andreas has 
expressed his thoughts in a clear and pertinent fashion but I feel this issue 
needs some broader discussion.

I am not intending to smear the League in any way, but to purely open up a 
discussion on how the League should interface with the KDE community.


The Issues

The KDE League was set up to essentially promote and popularise KDE. This is 
clearly evident via it's mission statement:

"To establish KDE as a desktop standard for PCs, workstations, and mobile 
devices, to promote software development for KDE and to promote the use of 
KDE by enterprises and individuals."

The league also publishes a set of aims:

* sustain, provide and facilitate formal and informal education about the 
features, capabilities and other qualities of KDE; 
* encourage corporations, governments, enterprises and individuals to use KDE; 
* encourage corporations, governments, enterprises and individuals to develop 
for KDE; 
* sustain, provide and facilitate formal and informal education about 
development for KDE; 
* provide expertise, information, direction and position papers regarding KDE 
and its development and use; 
* foster communication and cooperation between and among KDE developers; and 
* foster communication and cooperation between KDE developers and the public 
through publications, articles, web sites, meetings, attendance at trade 
shows, press releases, interviews, promotional materials and committees. 

The problem I have encountered is in finding any details on how the League is 
managing (a) it's money and (b) what the League is doing to accomplish these 
aims. The website offers no information to indicate how these aims are being 
satisfied.

As a core KDE developer who does a lot of promotional work such as talks, 
seminars, writing papers and working on KDE::Enterprise, I have come to a 
situation many times where I have needed to get some kind of funding. 
Examples include expo's and research.

Expo's - I ran the KDE booth at the London Linux Expo and needed to secure 
funding from Linux Format and SuSE. The KDE League just sent some T-Shirts. 
The event cost me approx £80 pounds of my own cash to fund - I am a student 
and this is an expensive outlay.

Research - I want to write some white papers on the use of KDE and Linux in 
differing types of organisations. I am happy to write the papers for free but 
I have costs such as travelling expenses and phone costs - calling people on 
my mobile during the day is expensive.

Talks: There have been occasions where I have had to turn down talks on KDE 
due to expenses. If I can get there I will try but if I am going to have a 
large bill I won't make it. I am happy to travel far and wide but I need to 
do it sensibly and a lowly student cannot afford train fares and petrol 
everywhere.


In all of these cases I am essentially doing work comes under the auspices of 
the KDE League's set of aims. Although I am doing work that the League would 
possibly deem as promotional KDE work, I have not been financially supported 
in this work.

The KDE League offers no means of people submitting requests for funding or 
gaining some kind of relationship with the League for promotional work other 
than mailing the board members and begging.

Publishing Information

I feel that the KDE League is an organisation that is officially recognised by 
the KDE project. As the KDE League is recognised, there should be some kind 
of obligation that the League presents KDE developers and users with details 
on what the League is doing - this way we can see how the League is actually 
benefiting KDE. I would also be interested in seeing how funds are 
distributed by the League - this all will give me a picture of how the League 
is offering value to it's members by benefiting KDE projects.

We all need to be made aware that the KDE League is doing things. If you look 
at the website it is not clear at all what the League is doing.

Andreas felt it was not necessary that the League publish information on what 
they are doing. I disagree, but what do you think?

Suggestions

What I am suggesting is the League focussing on a more hands on attitude 
towards helping KDE. I feel that documents should be made available on at 
least what the League is doing - even if some names and details are censored 
- at least that work is being done and it is benefiting KDE in xyz way.

I also feel we need specific support in a few areas (some others have helped 
suggest these areas so credit to you guys who suggested those):


PR Image - We need to develop KDE's PR image. We need to get representatives' 
business cards made - we need a decent website developing, even if it means 
paying a developer to do it.

Booth Packs - We need to have a number of booth packs in which a KDE 
representative can be sent a flight case which has got things needed to set 
up a KDE booth - I don't mean scaffolding and such, but things like boards, 
banners, Laptops, props (like big plastic KDE gears and the such) - it is 
these things that will give KDE a real image at an expo.

Legal Support - We are all familiar with the whole incident over KIllustrator 
- was the League there to support the developer? We need to League to look at 
the legal issues surrounding KDE software names - there have been issues with 
KIllustrator, KImageShop and others - these need to be explored by the League 
- and even if guidelines are published by the League, that would help.

Developer Meetings - The League should look into costs regarding a developer 
meeting - maybe one for each major continent - USA, Europe and Asia. These 
meetings increase development and boost moral.

Funding Research - The League should contribute towards costs of research; 
things like phone calls, travel expenses etc.

Usability Testing - The League should look into getting usability analysts to 
analyse KDE for usability issues.

There are of course many more things that could be suggested - and all of 
these are in some way covered by the aims of the League. Indeed, some may 
already being done, but I am none the wiser.

Conclusion

I have every faith in the KDE League - I have every faith in KDE and every 
faith in our capability on the desktop. I am willing as ever to put 100% in 
and help this aim. We need to simply sort out these issues. I hope this can 
lead to some positive discussion - if everyone disagrees, then fair enough I 
will be happy I have aired my views.

Cheers,

	Jono



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