Hi Dave and others,
It's odd. We get hundreds of books added to the system every month, but
little development goes on. Bookshare is programmed in PHP from what I've
heard, and if I'm correct fixing little things like rejection notification
should take an hour, not a year. A database redesign to include new
categories shouldn't be too hard. But these simple things and some hard
things including the stripper do not get fixed. The site code seems
pretty inefficient to me, and could use an overhaul. So what's the big
deal if volunteers had access to the user interface part of the site, not
the parts of the site that include bookshare packing etc.
My question I guess really is, what do engineers like Peter Siali
(Spelling) do with their time but sys admin. Why not let other help you
make the site run more quickly and cleanly, and be easier to use by users
and volunteers alike. Perhaps we can help invent a more friendly stripper
as well.
Just my thoughts.
Ner
and At 12:20 PM 2/5/2005, you wrote:
Hi Kellie,
That sounds like a bit of a bullsh!t line to me.
It sounds more likely that the question was what can we use as a
justification to say no to more volunteer interaction so we don't have to
come up with a way of determining whether the individual's skill level,
and knowledge, warrant the extra effort to bring them on board. I can
certainly understand why Bookshare wouldn't want volunteers running
rampant across the system, and no matter how well intended, some people
can mess up even a roll of toilet paper.
I've also heard the line that the source code is confidential, and they
would be worried about control. I don't believe that should truly be a
concern except maybe for the most paranoid. While the service provided
is great, the software running behind the scenes certainly isn't earth
shattering, and I can't imagine there are any uniquely sensitive
corporate secrets involved.
Dave
At 11:34 AM 2/5/2005, you wrote:
Dave,
It seemed that the legal issue that prevented volunteers from being able to
do more on the site had to do with not being employees receiving
remuneration. I wondered why a certain period of free Bookshare membership
for individuals doing significant work on the site couldn't be considered
remuneration. If that were written into a contract which could be signed by
Bookshare and the volunteers in question I don't see why that couldn't work.
Kellie
Noel Romey
Arkansas, USA
View my insights at my
live journal: http://djner.livejournal.com
