List of active XMPP projects (was: Re: [jdev] jabberd2 2.1 Release)

[Norman Rasmussen]

idea++

On 12/3/06, Sander Devrieze <s.devrieze at pandora.be> wrote:
> Matthias Wimmer schreef:
> > Sander Devrieze schrieb:
> >> Add a note to the old website saying "This project is abandoned and
> >> unmaintained. <b>No security fixes or patches will be made!</b> Please
> >> strongly consider switching to a <a href="http://some_page_on
> >> xmpp.*_that_lists_all_maintained_XMPP_servers"> maintained XMPP
> >> server</a>."
> >
> > Well there are security fixes for jabberd2 and Tomasz does release them
> > (beside other work he does on the code). Why should we than not link to
> > Tomasz' site?
>
> Yes, that's also fine. But you still have a problem when Tomasz
> eventually stops with his jabberd2 developement, like what happened with
>   jabberd2 and WPJabber in the past. (btw at Tomasz: do you still work on
> WPJabber?)
>
> > Linking to a complete server list will suggest a user,
> > that he has to switch to another software product, which is not true.
>
> I think a list with *active* XMPP server projects (and lists of clients
> and libraries!) would be a great thing to add on the xmpp.* website. In
> that way people for example easilty can see that jabberd14 is still an
> active project and not replaced by jabberd2.
>
> Requirements of such a list:
> * formalised process to get and maintain a high quality list
> * the project owner(s) should request the listing of their project
> * the project owner(s) should ping regulary that they are alive and have
> time for the project
> * the list should contain all multiple contact channels to get in touch
> with the project
> * link to the code of the project of it is open source, or to the
> binaries if it is freeware (it would be a nice feature if the XSF would
> make regular backups)
> * end users should be able to complain when an inactive project is still
> listed, of course they should be able to prove this and the complaint is
> forwarded to the project owner(s)
> * inactive projects will be moved to another list with an explanation
> why (ith optional notes of the previous project owner(s)). This list of
> abandoned projects should make it easier for people to take over
> maintainorship of a project (for example, people that want to write new
> software instead of contributing to an existing project, because they
> really want to be the boss). This idea also applies to commercial closed
> source projects; if a company goes bankrupt and it cannot find someone
> to buy the codebase it can add a message to that page so that companies
> can contact someone to buy the code, or so that people can buy free the
> code (cfr. Blender).
>
> Advantages of such list would be:
> * Market transparency improves (end users): choosing good XMPP software
> will become easier, less risky, and thus cheaper. This will allow the
> XMPP community to steal market share from big non-XMPP vendors who are
> chosen for this reason.
> * Easier re-use of abandonned code (new contributors): see previous
> paragraph. This will result in less, but higher quality projects, and
> thus will improve the XMPP brand to the outside world.
> * Stronger community (community): I guess most XMPP projects will be
> eager to link to and promote such high quality list(s) of compatible
> projects.
>
> --
> Mvg, Sander Devrieze.
>


-- 
- Norman Rasmussen
 - Email: norman at rasmussen.co.za
 - Home page: http://norman.rasmussen.co.za/