carlos123
02-25-2003, 08:21 PM
I am working on a revision of installation instructions for a major Linux distro whose current instrunctions are very hard to follow.
So far I have received some very positive feedback on what I am doing at the distro forum.
The need is definitely there. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that I can meet it. The only reason I can think of as to why someone hasn't revised the instructions and made them very easy to follow is because most users of this distro are power users. And really have no need for newbiesized instructions.
I am now faced with a choice as to how to proceed.
I can continue working on the revision putting more time and effort into it and really make it very good. Improving the popularity and use of the distro greatly I believe (which may or may not be a good thing :)). Or I can just leave it.
In order to be motivated to work on it some more there must be motivation for me. Given that I must make a living directly from what I do I am thinking of copyrighting the revised instructions and making them only available from my web site (so as to generate much needed traffic to it).
The revisised instructions would still be free for one's own use but could not be distributed. The link could of course be distributed all over the place.
As much as I would love to just give the revised instructions away (along with my time and labor) as a way of contributing to the open source movement I also must be realistic about what I am spending my time on. I need to make a living and to support my family.
Unlike most open source contributors I don't have a main job that supports me while I do open source contributions in my spare time. What I do MUST provide me with a living or contribute materially to it or it's not worth doing.
Once I start making lots of money of course I can contribute without this need to make a living being present but I am not quite there yet.
Any suggestions, comments, or input?
I very much prefer to hear constructive input that isn't along the lines of "all software should be free regardless" or other such thing that doesn't at the same time give me some handle on how I can further my goal of making a living through my efforts. Either by bringing in more traffic to my site or selling something or some other way.
I want to contribute freely but I must also make a living. That's just the reality of things. Copyrighting my instructions but making them freely available through my site seems like a good compromise but I am looking for input in case there is a better alternative.
Thanks.
Carlos
So far I have received some very positive feedback on what I am doing at the distro forum.
The need is definitely there. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that I can meet it. The only reason I can think of as to why someone hasn't revised the instructions and made them very easy to follow is because most users of this distro are power users. And really have no need for newbiesized instructions.
I am now faced with a choice as to how to proceed.
I can continue working on the revision putting more time and effort into it and really make it very good. Improving the popularity and use of the distro greatly I believe (which may or may not be a good thing :)). Or I can just leave it.
In order to be motivated to work on it some more there must be motivation for me. Given that I must make a living directly from what I do I am thinking of copyrighting the revised instructions and making them only available from my web site (so as to generate much needed traffic to it).
The revisised instructions would still be free for one's own use but could not be distributed. The link could of course be distributed all over the place.
As much as I would love to just give the revised instructions away (along with my time and labor) as a way of contributing to the open source movement I also must be realistic about what I am spending my time on. I need to make a living and to support my family.
Unlike most open source contributors I don't have a main job that supports me while I do open source contributions in my spare time. What I do MUST provide me with a living or contribute materially to it or it's not worth doing.
Once I start making lots of money of course I can contribute without this need to make a living being present but I am not quite there yet.
Any suggestions, comments, or input?
I very much prefer to hear constructive input that isn't along the lines of "all software should be free regardless" or other such thing that doesn't at the same time give me some handle on how I can further my goal of making a living through my efforts. Either by bringing in more traffic to my site or selling something or some other way.
I want to contribute freely but I must also make a living. That's just the reality of things. Copyrighting my instructions but making them freely available through my site seems like a good compromise but I am looking for input in case there is a better alternative.
Thanks.
Carlos