RE: Library Software

[James Hoye <jhoye@xxxxxxx>]

> As I have said before on this list, between us we have the
> skills to take on
> the world. What we need is to get co-ordinated and get some serious
> applications/products developed.

We need to identify potential projects, match the appropriate skills,
produce design/specification documents and generally manage the whole thing
in a professional manner.  Someone like Mark McCall (hint) for instance
would be an ideal ambassador for 'marketing' our 'products' to a wider
audience, whilst Keith knows which is the business end of a soldering iron!

The first step would be for someone to be appointed as 'overall
co-ordinator' (Mark M?).  We could then submit our CVs detailing our areas
of expertise, available time (that's the hardest bit!), areas of interest
and geographical location.

A strategy 'virtual' working party could be formed to identify suitable
market opportunies, and to help steer development directions (eg.
industry/commercial standards).  Matrixing skills and identified
opportunies
would identify those which are actually feasible - and separate project
groups could be formed to work collaboratively on an initial requirements
specification (that's where the rest of the group can contribute ideas). 
An
assessment can then be undertaken, and a feature-set published for
discussion before final design.  An important factor has to be
affordability
of the completed product - no good having something that you can build for
200 quid when you can buy the same thing for 250 elsewhere.

The only real weakness I can see is the amount of time required versus the
free time available of group members :(

At the moment, I am tentatively looking at what might be required to
provide
MP3 WHA.

> Maybe Hometech 2001 could be the place where we have our largest ever
> meeting and get something organised.

Perhaps we can club together to buy an EasyJet ticket for Mark to persuade
him that he really needs to be here!

Perhaps I'm talking pure b*****ks, but maybe I'm striking a chord
somewhere....?

James H