Meta Portal

[David Bovill]

2009/12/8 Friedrich Lindenberg <friedrich at pudo.org>

But I think the larger benefit will be the hosting. This will allow
> smaller groups to very easily adopt some LD solution without having to
> care about infrastructure. None of the implementations are easy to
> install so this could otherwise turn into a real concern. With the new
> offering, we'll be able to offer an adoption path that only requires
> the commitment to using the software and learning how to use it. Which
> is enough.
>

How will the proposed the hosting be paid for? Which LD implementations are
interested in moving to the new host?


> > Agreed. Not even sure it is a good idea. I think it is something we could
> > develop as part of the Meta Portal - particularly if we can fund a trial
> > project that several LD implementations can benefit from taking part in.
>
> I think that the easiest way to go forward is to assemble a lot of
> smaller projects that we can supply with software (and services) and
> that we can then evaluate. We should take care to document those
> carefully to help others to more easily make their choices in the
> future. Once we feel comfortable with the results from the small
> projects, there are a lot of larger NGOs and companies that are just
> waiting for LD and will also be able to provide more extensive funding
> where necessary.
>

I think we are in a position to go directly for funding this. In other words
I've been working at this end in signing up a network of on the ground
communities that want to use/ pay for LD implementations. We are able to put
anywhere from 10 to over 100 such organisations down on a funding
application based on the work done so far.

I can certainly fund raise here in the UK for a project that uses LD, in the
context of trials with these communities. I would think there were also
funds in other countries, and have experience of fund raising in
Germany/Austria and Europe. Trails can be done in one country, with
developers in another. Funders can pay for trials in their region.

My proposal would be that we:

   1. collect a list of communities interested in using / paying for LD
   2. list LD implementations interested in being funded to deliver these
   trials
   3. establish the resources required for projects to deliver 2
   4. fund raise collectively for these trials
   5. agree to fund each of the implementations taking part out of the money
   raised

Now I realise that the software projects so far are not ready for use in
user trials. However, it is still possible to apply for funding for these
trials, if gone about the right way. In the next year i would expect that
there would be 20 or so applications for funds that would suite such a
project.

Applying for these funds is frankly a pain, and nowhere near as much fun as
actually developing stuff, but by pooling the projects, at least the core
material / partnerships for applications would be there, and we would get
funding - there is no doubt about that. In this case the problems are not
external they are internal.



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