[Web4lib] Re: Announcement: Open Source In Libraries Website

[Chadwick Seagraves]

Ross,
I know Jeff Humphrey and "know of" Allen Tate.  I don't think Allen was 
making a comparison and *I* simply stated that there is room for more 
coverage of  OSS, or FLOSS, (whichever acronym you prefer) for 
libraries.  It seemed to me that Allen's statement about it being a "we 
thing instead of a me thing" was meant to encourage participation and 
stimulate involvement rather than anything else.

It is easy for veterans in this area to forget that some librarians are 
still in an information seeking mode and evaluation phases of their open 
source education.  I speak from experience in this regard.  Open Source 
is a 'buzzword' right now for LIS and many of the administrators who 
hear it have no clue what it really means - it's applications, 
limitations, development requirements, etc.

This is a site based in Indiana that will draw lots of local folks, in 
addition to out-of-state users.  In the context of the principles of 
freedom and shared development that open source is based on, I would 
think that diversity, multiple options for access to information, and 
inclusiveness would be welcomed rather than condemned.  I can't see how 
another community would hurt open source discussions.  Users groups, web 
forums, and topical communities spring up to address a need. If the need 
is big enough it stands to reason that there will be more of them that 
arise.

Perhaps it was my mistake to have mentioned oss4lib at all.

Just an opinion...

-- 
*Chadwick J. Seagraves:* M.S.L.S
Library Systems Analyst
Private Academic Library Network of Indiana
Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority
(317) 298-6570 ext. 116 or (800)-733-1899
6202 Morenci Trail
Indianapolis, IN 46268
palni.edu <http://www.palni.edu>
InfoSciPhi.info <http://www.infosciphi.info>

Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:57:15 -0400
From: "Ross Singer" <rossfsinger at gmail.com>
Subject: [Web4lib] Re: [CODE4LIB] Announcement: Open Source In
	Libraries	Website
To: "Code for Libraries" <CODE4LIB at listserv.nd.edu>,
	"web4lib at webjunction.org" <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Message-ID:
	<23b83f160803270857o55d4deddk740f8d752c334962 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

How is oss4lib.org and oss4lib-discuss not a "we" thing?

How is yet another community based around a rather small domain a good thing?

-Ross.

On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 11:11 AM, Chadwick Seagraves <chadwick at palni.edu> wrote:

> >
> > This might be of interest to some of you.  I know that oss4lib has been
> >  around for a while, but I think there is room for more coverage.
> >  --