Re: [Info-gne]new Project Announcement needed

[Hector Facundo Arena]

On Sat, 10 Feb 2001, Dave Hein wrote:

> Hector,
>
> I'm really confused.  I suspect the cause of my confusion
> is part of the reason traffic on this list dropped
> dramatically when the list names were changed and the FSF
> declared Nupedia to be the GNU free encyclopedia project.

Yes. I think it was the renaming of the mailing list.

> I'd really appreciate a considered response to these
> points, and I suspect that the rest of the folks on the
> list would also be very interested.  So I thank you for
> your time, in anticipation of your response.
>

Ok. Let's see.

> Point 1
> =======
> In the last couple days, in e-mails on both bug-gne and
> info-gne, you've stated that "we're making big decisions on
> the future of GNE, so in the meantime you can help the
> Nupedia project".
>
> I've assumed that by "we" you meant yourself and Richard
> Stallman and perhaps other FSF staff.  But later e-mails
> suggest that may not be what you meant.  So, could you
> clarify:  in your statement, who did you mean by "we"?
>

When I say 'we' I mean me and Richard Stallman. All the things are clear
right now. We'll keep doing our work on GNE.

> Point 2
> =======
> Also, I've assumed that by "big decisions" you meant
> whether to kill GNE and just support Nupedia, or to have a
> second FSF-supported encyclopedia, or to just continue with
> the free encyclopedia project without overt support from
> the FSF.  But I suspect that assumption is also wrong.  So,
> could you clarify: in your statement, what are the "big
> decisions" to which you refer?  (A list of the decisions to
> be made would be helpful.)

Both projects will be under the support of the FSF. I think you already
know the differences between GNE and Nupedia.

> Point 3
> =======
> Finally, if GNE is to continue as a project on which a
> large group of people across the world can focus, then a
> coherent statement of the project's vision, goals, and
> method of operation is necessary.  The original project
> announcement at http://www.gnu.org/encyclopedia/index.html
> has, in effect, been made to apply to Nupedia and not to
> GNE.

Sure, We'll start working on it the next week.

> What we probably also need is a description of the existing
> open or free encyclopedia and library projects we know
> about, why GNE is different from the others, and why GNE is
> needed even though the other projects exist.

Agree. If you want to help with it, just tell me.