Subject:
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Re: Sounds good, however... (from an LDRAW neophyte)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad.dev.org.ldraw
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Date:
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Sat, 3 Feb 2001 04:08:04 GMT
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Viewed:
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817 times
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Hi Pat -
I will attempt to expound upon our ideas and answer your questions below.
(revisit.... Steve beat me! Well, I'll take out what I feel Steve addressed
well enough and add comments where I want to be a blabbermouth) ;-)
"Pat Hough" <houghpt@usa.net> wrote in message news:G85tFH.Fss@lugnet.com...
> One of the goals I would like to see set by this group is a serious effort
> to simplify the entire gamut of the LDraw universe. Details:
Something we all want to do, believe us. It takes time and energy to do those
things though.
> - Offer a step-by-step procedure to new users on how to install LDRAW
> and its various siblings (i.e. MLCAD) to their PCs, explaining the
> difference between each. I am still having trouble determining which is
> which and whether one is the "main" program and another is an "add-on", etc.
> Plus, there are a plethora of bugs out there.
How is the step-by-step at http://www.ldraw.org/download/start/newuser.html on a
scale of 1-10?? What can we do better? How is the Intro to DAT utilities at
http://www.ldraw.org/download/start/introdat.html on a scale of 1-10, etc?
From reading your message through I gather you understand that this is a
volunteer effort and the individual utilities are published by different
indepenent authors. We have not yet made a comparison chart (I thought about
doing one at one point) of what utilities do what and work on what OSes.
Unfortunately this stuff takes time, and we all want to put forth the best
resources for yall, but realize that in the past we've missed the mark on
clarity. We're trying.
> - Form an approved glossary, defining such off-world terms as
> "Ray-Tracing" and DAT files among others, and what these things mean in
> relation to the whole LDraw concept. Given a quiz on the subject, I'd get a
> Z minus.
A glossary sounds like a great idea for the site.
> Personally, I find myself overwhelmed and even a little repelled by the
> endless variety of LDraw sites and the different methods of installation. To
> me, there is little effort to coordinate these sites except by random links.
Funny you mention that. When I proposed LDraw.org over two years ago that's
what I sought to eliminate. I think we've come a long way from the way it was
then, but we still have a long way to go.
> I guess the one thing I don't want to see an organization like this become
> is an inner-circle type of group where veteran LDraw users can meet to
> congratulate each other on how imaginative they all are while the neophytes
> sit outside wondering what's going on.
I don't believe the group will get to that point - that's not our intentions.
> (For the record, this is in no way
> intended to reflect any attack on LUGNET or the sharing of ideas through
> MOCs). I'd just be really...discouraged...if I was to ask a simple question
> regarding LDraw in the LDraw newsgroup and be told "Well, you really should
> take this up with the LDraw Committee". No Big Brother, thank you.
Nope - the 'Committee' will never be for that. Questions can be handled via the
Help Desk where non-committee members are helping on even now, and an improved
glossary/faq. And there will always be people here willing to help on the CAD
groups.
> Why a treasury? Why license agreements?
Steve hit on this one nicely. I see the treasury as a way to manage org funds
for putting on displays and making CDs - buying display materials (additional
banners, signs, printing, laminating, business cards, domain names,
computers..etc....) All of this needs to be managed by a formal organization
which is responsible for the funds and the taxes on income (unless we are a
non-profit org).
> > Between the 4+1 members, we feel we have a fair representation of the LCAD
> > community--developers, authors, evangelists, and users.
>
> Perhaps you should add one more representative -- a person from the general
> LUGNET population who is not necessarily a LCAD or LDraw expert but can
> translate the groups activities to the other LUGNET members. Sort of a
liasion.
I do not object to adding one more person either. But we shouldn't be hasty on
our decision for an addition, and think it over who will be added. Do you
volunteer Pat? It appears to me you take a genuine interest and with your
suggestions could add something to the group.
> Selection of members: Yes. Goals: Not without some answers. I mean, it
> sounds frighteningly like you're attempting to tighten control over
> something I thought was public domain. Maybe I'm missing something here.
Steve explained the public domain thing. We aren't trying to tighten control,
we're trying to formalize and organize control. The organization will lead to
greater potential for the LCAD community to grow and do greater things. I think
we've outlined a few of those in our responses here.
I hope this helps.
--
Tim Courtney - tim@ldraw.org
http://www.ldraw.org - Centralized LDraw Resources
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