[sword-devel] Taming Wild Threads (was: Getting stuff done (Re: External links))

[Peter von Kaehne]

Chris Little wrote:
> modules at crosswire.org is not a discussion list. It's for receipt and 
> release of content, occasionally with the necessity of providing 
> feedback regarding errors.

I am fully aware of this. My post was clear on that.

> I do and will continue to do my best to 
> manage the incoming submissions, other demands on my time permitting. 

And considering that the other demands on your time are there too, you
should allow others to take part in that role. Because otherwise it is a
 bottleneck - which has nothing whatsoever to do with perfection or
ideology or technology but is a simple resource issue.

> Your list of suggested additions to modules at crosswire.org, with due 
> respect, consists of persons who are technically unqualified 

I gather this is me. Fair enough. My view in this matter though is that
a mixture of skills and skill levels - provided one sticks to agreed
rules - can be beneficial as it allows others with higher skills to
practice at their level. I guess I have proven this over the years. Same
applies to Daniel Owens and David Haslam.

> or, because 
> they do not subscribe to CrossWire policies on these matters, 
> ideologically unqualified to be part of that process.

And there is the rub. I am strongly disputing this. We have a bottleneck
and this bottleneck has only become an "ideological" issue because we
allowed it to become one. Open the process, stop controlling and see
whether things will not even out very rapidly.

> And I think many of the complaints from the last few days come from 
> individuals who cannot or will not respect authority. 

Considering the length of time these complaints are surfacing and
resurfacing and the number of times we had people here stating "I send a
module in x number of months ago, what is happening?" these complaints
have been remarkably restrained, patient and respectful - until you
chose to continue to ignore them.

> Change to current 
> systems and workflows can come, but not without respect for the existing 
> policies and guiding principles.

And without some serious changes we might end up with a seriously
diminished project.

> Logos has a guiding principle that I've always respected. Their position 
> is that Bible software ought to be the best software in the world. I 
> believe we ought to adopt that principle insofar as we are able. 

We all have.

> For my  own part I try to make our content as high quality as I can, within my 
> own and the source materials' limitations. 

And there is the next rub - by sitting on the bottleneck you make your
own limitations the limitations of the project.


> That's not always been my 
> belief. Once I was young and impetuous and felt that it was most 
> important and most impressive to get as much content out as quickly as 
> possible. But I've since come to greater appreciate that the work we do 
> deserves better than a careless attitude. How much I do is less 
> important than how well it is done.

The problem here is - and Karl has expressed it beautifully in words I
am not going to repeat - a desire for attainment of perfection has to be
tempered by a desire to create output which is good enough.

> If you do not believe that Bibles, as well as associated content, 
> deserve the utmost care and the devotion of as much time as is necessary 
> to do right by them, then I do not believe you have any business working 
> with them, for it suggests an inadequate respect for the Bible itself.

I am sure that medieval book-painters will have said that to Gutenberg too.

To be more serious - putting out a non-formatted OSIS feature free VPL
bible - as long as it is actually faithful to the text - no missing
words/verses/chapters etc which can be reliably used with gain to
personal study and for evangelism, is not a sign of inadequate respect,
but is the computerised equivalent of printing a tract bible for giving
away. It has its place. It is good, it is good enough.

If we cannot produce a feature full text without major delay we should
have a featureless text immediately and then reissue with more features
later.

Cheers

Peter
> --Chris
> 
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