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List:       quanta
Subject:    Re: [Quanta] Paying for a feature/bug fix?
From:       Eric Laffoon <eric () kdewebdev ! org>
Date:       2008-09-15 14:29:23
Message-ID: 200809150729.23846.eric () kdewebdev ! org
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Hi Jens,
It's nice to hear from you.

On Monday 15 September 2008 12:19:23 am Jens Herden wrote:
> Hi Eric,
>
> I appreciate your commitment to Quanta. But following your emails quite
> some time and knowing you personally triggers the need to write the
> following lines.
>
> You are writing again and again that there will be progress on Quanta and
> that you will find more time for the project. Honestly I don't believe this
> anymore.
> I do belive that you think it will happen, but my impression is that this
> is an illusion. And I also think it is about time that you realize and
> admit this. From my own experience I know how difficult it is to draw a
> bottom line.

Yeah... When is the last time we talked? From anybody else this would piss me 
off but I respect you and appreciate all you've done for Quanta. However it's 
been over a year since we conversed and as much as I like you we both know we 
have very different outlooks on some areas of life. Since you are pretty much 
completely unaware of my personal day to day factors I think it's completely 
unfair to simply superimpose your choices on me, however reasonable they may 
be for you. 

Speaking of choices, you suggested we go to the KDevelop platform and I was 
the one afraid it would delay the release. We were both right again. It will 
be nice, but between kdelibs languishing, KDevelop doing it's usual thing and 
various other factors like having even less resources... we ended up where we 
are today.

Fortunately running a business I draw the bottom line every day and I know 
exactly what my choices cost me. I stand by them and refute your impression 
is unfortunately impossible to be effectively and adequately informed to be 
of enough value to repeat. I say that with all due respect because you are a 
wonderful person to me and I will always be happy in your company.
>
> I also don't believe that Andras will have substantial time in the near
> future for Quanta. But he should comment on this himself.

You may be right, but we already discussed these contingencies at akademy. 
Sorry you couldn't make it even thought it was close to you this year.
>
> I am very glad to see that new people are arriving, hi Niko :-)
> But I think this is not sufficient yet.

Of course you are absolutely correct here. I wish it weren't so.
>
> From my POV the best would be to declare Quanta dead at the current moment.
> This would open an opportunity for other people to take over with fresh
> energy.

It's been dead before. I understand your not being able to continue but I 
don't see anybody stepping up on so many levels. Fortunately as you know I 
don't really give a rats ass about whatever negatives get tossed my way I 
just trudge on. ;-) 
>
> I know this is a rather radical thought but please take it as an invitation
> for a discussion and not a personal attack.
> My impression is that it is time to stop beating the dead horse.

It's not the first time we disagreed Jens. It's academic unless someone else 
steps up. In my case I'm making radical personal changes for real that I've 
beat on the wall over for years. So my bottom line is I will be able to hire 
a team of paid developers and tell everyone to go pee up a rope by next 
year... although that's not the actual plan. 

It is a less radical thought that Andras and I are very devoted to this 
project and highly experienced with it so at the very least we ought to 
continue to bring those experiences to secure it's future... and since I 
don't see anyone making a viable case they can do more than ask others to do 
things for them I think people ought to be happy and patient.
>
> Eric, I am greatfull for what you did for Quanta, thanks

And I'm grateful for what you have done for Quanta and for your friendship. I 
miss the days in Ludwigsburg where we were all together and the world was our 
oyster. Come to think of it, I am looking forward to putting together a team 
for the same outlook... but right now I've been up since 6 am and I have to 
go to work harvesting catnip. Please note that in a few months it is not on 
my schedule. ;-)

Eric
>
> Jens
>
> > > I'd like to give some money to support Quanta, but rather than
> > > donating, is it possible to pay someone to implement a feature?
> > >
> > > In short, I'd like this feature implemented, please:
> > > https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=156135
> > >
> > > Am quite happy to wait until the KDE4 version of Quanta is at a stage
> > > where it's convenient to add this, but would like a vague idea of what
> > > stage it is most likely to happen (alpha, beta, RC, etc.) I know better
> > > than to ask for a timeline of course!
> > >
> > > So, how much will it cost?
> > >
> > > Kind Regards,
> > > Liam McDermott.
> >
> > Hi,
> > It's not possible to answer this question right now. First off Niko is
> > doing some coding on Quanta. Andras has been hoping to get time since he
> > started contracting with KDAB but he is presently also being tapped to
> > give instruction in Qt training seminars. Yes, he's that good and that in
> > demand. I am wrapped up in my own little project... Briefly it goes like
> > this. I have been doing okay with my business but I'm falling behind on
> > demand and missing opportunity. If I do things right I'd be able to have
> > more time and also to sponsor developers for Quanta and Kommander.
> >
> > My problem? I am working with seasonal windows in farming and marketing
> > that I can't ignore. On top of scaling infrastructure and personel
> > resources I also have to do major code updates on the web site, finish my
> > internal database, finish two internal applications, get everything on
> > barcodes, install a Kolab server, hack some code on Blackberry desktop
> > integration and tweak some custom field data forms, integrate bluetooth
> > devices for field sales and set up a CD/USB data combo that I can give to
> > new sales people to get them running the Linux system I work from. Of
> > course if I did the development I could allow for other OSs using KDE4.
> > While I'm doing all this I'm writing all now marketing materials and
> > doing several very prestigious jobs I can take pix of. (Anybody who wants
> > pix email off list.)
> >
> > Andras and I have been talking about planning our release schedule for
> > KDE4 since aKademy... Actually that's not true. We had one conversation
> > and he hasn't had Skype on and we just finally exchanged emails. In both
> > our cases we are going through transitional circumstances that increase
> > demand on us. In a few months we will be better able to handle things. I
> > hope to begin working on a plan by next month, but I'm not going to
> > commit to having it in place. I will be putting Skype on my Blackberry so
> > Andras and I can can talk wherever I am and communication on this project
> > remains a top priority for me.
> >
> > As to the specifics of what you're talking about... The parser has been
> > rewritten for KDE4. However what you're talking about is code interfacing
> > and assimilating text. It's a reasonable request, but really we would be
> > talking a form of importing probably to handle this. I'm not looking at
> > the code so I hope I'm not talking stupid. For now please hold till you
> > are more comfortable and please bring this up again in a month. My worst
> > case scenario is that we focus on development in January. If that is the
> > case Andras and I will meet for a week or two somewhere in the world and
> > have a hacking session. Oh... Niko is welcome too. ;-)



-- 
Eric Laffoon
Project Lead - kdewebdev module
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