[CREATE] [Fwd: Desktopcon.org Presentation Abstract for LGM2 + Create Project]

Sun Apr 30 18:43:15 PDT 2006

hello jon and list,

On Sun, Apr 30, 2006 at 11:59:11AM -0700, Jon Phillips wrote:
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> > From: Jon Phillips <jon at rejon.org>
> > To: create at lists.freedesktop.org <create at lists.freedesktop.org>
> > Subject: Desktopcon.org Presentation Abstract for LGM2 + Create
> > Project
> > Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:11:44 -0700
> > 
> > Hey all, I'm including here a copy of my abstract for desktopcon 2006.
> > Please make any changes to the proposal and/or abstract by editing the
> > wiki page here: 
> > http://rejon.org/wiki/index.php/Desktopcon_2006
> > 
> > If there are any bugs in the proposal please let me know, as they are
> > due on MAY 1. If that is accepted then I will next submit this full
> > abstract. I kind of jumped the gun on developing the full paper, but I
> > had the pieces laying around already ;)
> > 

i made some edits to the wiki.  i would like to show those edits here
and ask for discussion of other potential edits.

> > Here is a copy of the longish abstract:
> > 

i opted to leave the "longish abstract" fully printed here with some
breaks where i edited the wiki and where i think there should be some
discussion.

> > 
> > LGM2005 Overview and the Create Project: Ambiently Sharing Creativity
> > 
> > This presentation begins with an overview of the extremely successful
> > Libre Graphics Meeting 2005 (LGM2005), organized by Dave Neary (the
> > Gimp). This conference brought developers of Free and Open Source

the software previously known as TheGIMP is now known as GIMP.  this is
an ancronym which expands to GNU Image Manipulation Program.  the "The"
was wrong as it is not the only GNU application which manipulates
images.  This change has occured in gimp-2.3.  Instances of gimp-2.2 or
earlier as well as the web site have yet to reflect this change.  work
is being done on the web site.

so this first edit to the wiki was to change Dave Neary (the Gimp) to
Dave Neary (GIMP) since i am certain that representing the project is a
better task than any of the options that being the Gimp might offer him.
this is entirely theory on my part -- a projection which leads to a
rejection.  untested.  i am not even to ask for volunteers to see if my
assumption about this is correct or not!

> > graphics software like the Gimp, Inkscape, Scribus, Open Clip Art
> > Library and Xara LX together to present and intermingle in order to

in this list of software, i changed the wiki from "the Gimp" to "GIMP
(GNU Image Manipulation Program)".  i am confident that this acronym is
correct and the expansion of this acronym is also correct; what i am not
confident about is if the acronym GNU will be welcome to this list and
to the bigger project.

personally, GNU is the reason i became involved with gimp.  it is the
only baggage that i still carry (metaphorically and almost literally
speaking) and i would like to keep it.  details can be found here:
http://www.gnu.org there is already some working together going on at:
http://www.fsf.org -- more of my baggage (it has been a very heavy load
and anyone who would like to help to drag this around is welcome in my
life....)

GIMP might be behind the times in software evolution, but it certainly
cannot be accused of being a sell-out. </defensivness>

a formal discussion of any reservations that participants might have
with GNU would be gladly read by me.

> > catalyze development. This first part of the presentation discusses the
> > successes of the conference and plans for next year (2007) in Montreal
> > with a hope to incite further participation. In support of the next
> > Libre Graphics Meeting in Montreal, the communications and planning are
> > happening on the Create Project's communication channels.
> > 
> > Both LGM and the Create Project are interested in the following
> > problematic: Creative Free and Open Source projects such as Blender,
> > Gimp, Inkscape, Scribus, Audacity, Open Clip Art Library and others are

here i just changed the collection of characters from "Gimp" to "GIMP".

> > highly successful projects which produce much media &mdash; video,
> > audio, illustrations, photos, and other content. However, much code,
> > media, and infrastructure are produced by each project somewhat
> > independently which could be shared. For example, several of the
> > aforementioned applications have their own brush types, color
> > preferences, preferred media storage locations, keyboard shortcuts and
> > file format converters. Sharing these resources saves a developer time,
> > increases productivity, and contributes to an overall improved user
> > experience. Because of this overlap and the similarity of creative
> > media, there is need to work together on standards, promotions, and
> > inter-community plans.
> > 
> > This second part of the presentation is about the Create Project
> > (http://create.freedesktop.org) whose goal is to develop and consolidate
> > shared resources amongst the various Free and Open Source creative
> > software applications while building relationships between these
> > communities. This part outlines the rationale for the project, its
> > current state, who is participating, and future plans.
> > 

GIMP is GPL.  i am not certain which version of gpl it is licensed
under. it was gpl before *OpenSource(Software) existed as an acronymed 
idea or before any organized group.  GIMP developers have had a
landslide of new users who expect it to work like established propietary
applications and even if it is not in the *OSS rules, it does seem to be
in the spirit of *OSS ways to work like this.

the GPL in the intentions of the developers should not just disappear
because it is time for the application to share resources with other
similar and also free applications. (developers past and present)

> > Already Create is bearing fruit such as the Shared Resources
> > Specification, a swatches file format, and an Open Color standard. The
> > Shared Resources Specification consolidates brushes, gradients, color
> > swatches, patterns, and clip art into standard locations on different
> > operating systems for simple packaging and implementation by
> > applications. Already, Scribus, Krita, and Inkscape support this spec
> > with Open Clip Art Library, Gimp and others planning on supporting it in
> > upcoming versions.
> > 
> > The Create Project also builds relationships through "ambient sharing."
> > This is typified by combining developers??? blogs from the different
> > development communities into a planet-type [2] blog aggregation,
> > available at Create???s project space at Freedesktop.org [3]. In the
> > commercial world, affiliations and alliances are brokered through
> > contracts and funding. In Free and Open Source Software alternate
> > approaches for encouraging collaboration and sharing are necessary which
> > do not rely upon forced meetings, ultimatums, and explicit timetables
> > that decrease the fun in development. Rather, the emphasis on ambient
> > sharing is about providing a service for sharing, lowering social
> > barriers for participation, and making collaboration casual.
> > 
> > [1] This list is not exhaustive but used as an example of the type of
> > project that is considered a Creative Software. See
> > http://www.blender.org, http://www.gimp.org, http://www.inkscape.org,
> > http://www.scribus.net, and http://audacity.sourceforge.net, and
> > http://www.openclipart.org.
> > 

with luck and perserverence, www.gimp.org will be updated to reflect the
change in the name.  i am sorry for whatever confusion this has caused
to anyone trying to start with GIMP here.

> > [2] See http://www.planetplanet.org/
> > 
> > [3] See http://create.freedesktop.org/
> > 
> > 

btw, last i looked, the inkscape rss feed was broken and lately i am
getting a 404 for the scribus feed.  i made an instance of planet in
which news from the art applications that were involved with LGM news
was displayed:

http://paths.gimp.org

(gimp feed is messed up as well...)

any project involved in this project should be included in this planet
instance.  any project that does not want to be included there, i would
like to know and understand these reasons.  i am willing to read them
and see what i can fix here to help change things.

thank you,

carol