[CentOS-docs] What's an Enterprise class OS

[Karanbir Singh]

Ned Slider wrote:
> Hmm, OK, how about we try that the other way around - what is the 85% 
> that couldn't be hosted on a Wiki? I'm thinking maybe the news and 
> announcements section probably isn't best suited to a Wiki (a CMS 
> solution would probably be more preferable), but then there's been like 
> one post a year ago, one in early 2005 and a few from 2004 (in 
> Centos.org news) plus the usual announcements. Maybe a blog (Planet 
> CentOS) style page could handle some of that type of content?

The announcement section of the forums isnt user visible is it ? It was 
never meant to be a forum in the first place, iirc. It was just a trial 
to see what could potentially be done.

The actual update announcement system has always been the mailing list, 
and over the last few years various things have been tried out, 
including repo-rss - actually pushing out a home brew rss feed with 
comments and change logs, a user edited system change tracking thing etc 
etc. And while most of these addressed specific issues, none of them 
seemed to really address the larger picture and issue set. I am sort of 
hoping to kickstart work on that side of things as soon as the 
buildsystem updates can go in. Mainly because whatever we do use, needs 
to start with a feed from the buildsystem. Everything else can be added 
in and hooks from / to various places can also be added.

> Please don't get me wrong Karanbir - I'm not having a go, it's just that 
> IMHO the whole site looks dated and to an extent unmaintained. That's 
> NOT in any way intended as a criticism of the core devs as we all know 
> the devs have more important things to do... like produce a first class 
> distro, and only so much free time to donate to the project in which to 
> achieve that hugely important task.

I dont think anyone will deny that you are right on that point... the 
site in its present form has much history, and many people are aware of 
that. Inspite of all that, the site is very dated, and hard to navigate. 
Pretty much everyone you might talk to would agree on that as well.

 > So to me this seems like an area
> where core devs could delegate some of the responsibility to others who 
> have the time and would like to contribute but aren't necessarily highly 
> skilled programmers/packagers etc. Is there a way the process could be 
> opened up that allows others to contribute who do have the time and want 
> to help?

Why not ?

But the way to fix it is to come up with a process that works, for as 
many people as possible ( does not need to work for everyone ) - but one 
that fix's the real issues. And I dont believe you or anyone when they 
say that there are lots and lots of people standing around waiting for 
stuff to do. Eg. How many people have asked for wider edit rights on the 
website ? And the point I have brought along a few times now : What is 
being done about the stale content on the wiki right now ? The sheer 
existance of this stale content on the wiki today, makes me and other 
people think that the idea of moving content isnt going to work at all. 
Its too short sighted, illconcieved and badly implemented.

There are things that the wiki is good for like howto's and info on 
specific issues are really well done, but some fringe content where 
individual authors were driiving stuff forward, and no longer are - 
seems to have just falled wayside.

Anyway, like I said earlier I'd be happy to work with any team / group 
of people who want to redesign the whole content management issue for 
*.centos.org - But till such time as that is done, and people are ready 
to offer significant time and resource allocations, were only building 
further legacy.

-- 
Karanbir Singh : http://www.karan.org/ : 2522219 at icq