On Fri, 2006-03-17 at 16:52 -0600, Jimmie Houchin wrote:
> Ken Causey wrote:
> > Draft of my reply, I appreciate any comments you have.
> 
> I saw your other email, nevertheless I will comment. :)

Good, I didn't mean to stifle comments. ;)

First of all, I agree that your example here has a higher likelihood of
success and a lower chance, with that success, of being a danger to the
community.

In the first case, as I have stated earler in this thread, I have less
problem with bounties provided by individuals on an 'unofficial' (i.e.
not representing the community as a while) basis.  Also your example has
a fairly clear end point and is not a terribly large project.  If
someone takes up the bounty and the project can be fully funded to
completion, then I see a reasonable chance of success.  Also this
example is one where the final result is one that is reasonable stable.
It should continue to work unless the protocol changes in some way, and
the fixes necessary to deal with any such changes are likely reasonably
small.

In the second case, an SQL driver is not a core component of Squeak.
And this is perhaps a point that I was not as clear about.  I was
primarily thinking of things that affect the community as a whole, or at
least a large subset of it.  Your example provides additional
functionality for a relatively small portion of the community.

In the end I think the value of your example is that the issue of
bounties probably needs to be considered on a case by case basis.

Ken

> I disagree because you leave out too many variables.
> The community in general has skills, time and money.
> 
> I have skills to use Squeak and to develop with Squeak in many ways. But 
> I am most definitely limited in my scope.
> 
> Others have the skills but have not the time or interest.
> 
> I may have a desire or need for which I have not the skill to develop, 
> but have the skill to use.
> 
> Others may have a need for which they have the skills to develop and 
> use, but have not the time.
> 
> Bounties (money) is an inducement for sometime to spend time using their 
> skills for someone else's interest. Most of us do it everyday, its our job.
> 
> Example:
> 
> What if I wanted to be able to use my favorite database, say SQLite or 
> such with Squeak. I have no C or low level skills. But give me a driver 
> and the methods to access said database and I'm a happy guy. If I 
> want/need such, but no one else in the community with the skills and the 
> time has such a need, then an inducement may provide incentive to 
> someone to develop such.
> 
> I don't believe that any such development would flounder after 
> development any more than any other code.
> 
> And the codes existence may be inducement for others to use at some 
> point, because it has become an available option.
> 
> Nor do I believe such would cause any negative directional change.
> 
> I only wish I had the funds to hire some Squeak developers. :)
> Oh well.
> 
> Now if were talking about development for developments sake and simply 
> attempting to fulfill a laundry list of features...
> I'll agree with you. That is wrong and wasteful.
> 
> But I do believe there are legitimate needs that can be met by proper 
> monetary inducements. Doing it right is the challenge.
> 
> Jimmie

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