AMRAD Linux CD

[Frank Gentges]

Rob, Maitland,

As I see it, the diversity of the AMRAD membership can cover a lot of 
the areas of expertise needed to not only cover the operating system but 
the number of amateur radio areas of interest.  That is our real 
strength.  Now, if we can reach critical mass (interest outside the 
small group at the tacos table on Saturdays) the core group will take 
the time and effort to build up the parts and pieces to make the whole 
an interesting product.

AMRAD has avoided kitting up messy little projects as other ham clubs 
have done, primarily because of all the problems of getting money, parts 
and everything together to handle a primarily production job while still 
remaining friends.  This job would not make money but instead relate to 
a CD image.  I think the CD image is more in line with our group.  We 
must realize there is a group of email readers out there beyond the 
tacos crowd that we don't here from much but properly motivated/excited 
they could contribute a lot.  Also don't forget Terry in Florida and 
Dave in Texas.  They can participate over the Internet while not having 
their minds poisoned at the tacos table with what we might assume any 
user would obviously know and does not need to have clearly explained.

Funwise, if the project creates interest, it should be more fun than 
kitting up a bunch of parts bags and energize an internal desire in each 
member to serve fellow hams.  Once done, we don't have to have tables of 
members hunched over zip bags or mailing labels.  In this respect, 
software and the Internet is far easier than hardware to distribute.  
However, it does not generate a bunch of income for us to hold wild parties.

We cannot know where this will all lead until we have made some progress 
and see how much interest surfaces.  I agree with Rob that if it is a 
really interesting package we will find the bandwidth. 

Once an alpha is released, I think the AMRAD members will help refine 
the CD into a tasty product like a fine bottle of wine.  AMRAD may be in 
a better position to create a LINUX distribution for hams that DEBIAN 
because of our diversity and depth of ham expertise.

Frank K0BRA



Robert E. Seastrom wrote:
> Frank Gentges <fgentges at mindspring.com> writes:
>
>   
>> Does the AMRAD web site have the facilities and bandwidth to support
>> distribution of the CD image(s) or do we need to look for something
>> different?
>>     
>
> Corollary question: Does the AMRAD membership have the bandwidth to
> support building and testing an OS release periodically?  This is an
> endeavor that is right up there fun-wise with assembling electronics
> kits to ship out to people, except that you can't outsource the
> assembly to people at Mellwood.
>
> Space and bandwidth from which to distribute large software is not a
> problem.  See the banner announcement when you ftp into
> bigmirror.crossbowproject.net from a command line client.
>
>                                         ---rob
>
>