[Kde-extra-gear] Gwenview maintainership

[Gilles Caulier]

On Sunday 10 December 2006 22:58, Aurelien Gateau wrote:
> Hello lists,
>
> I am running short of free time these days, and it's getting more and more
> difficult to find the motivation to work on Gwenview.
>
> I have been maintaining this project for six years, that's quite long. I
> think it's time for me to acknowledge that I exhausted my interest in
> maintaining and improving Gwenview.
>
> During these six years, Gwenview managed to attract quite a few users, but
> failed to attract any dedicated developers. Nevertheless, I do hope that
> someone will step in to take over maintainership of Gwenview. If you think
> you've got what it takes to keep Gwenview alive (that is: C++/KDE skills
> and interest in images, obviously) I would be very happy to hear from you.
>
> Regards,

Aurélien,

This is the eternal problem to maintain an opensource project : the 
developpers team motivation.

Like you know, i maintain digiKam since Renchi Raju have leave the team during 
summer 2005. It's a large piece of software.

To find motivation, there are different issues :

- Donations from users/linux dist (used by Firefox project for example).
- Advanced contact with users, using a LUG. Personally, i have installed a 
lots of Linux box in my son's school where digiKam is used everywhere. It's 
very instructive.
- Try to have a communication with non-computer users. Personnally i'm working 
in a semi-pro photograph group where Linux is unknow. I have presented 
digiKam and others photograph tools based on Linux. The feedback is very 
good/interressing and give me motivation.
- Perhaps you need to concentrate your work on a specific task, and not try to 
work on all at the same time. In the past i have tried to work everywhere 
(digiKam core, kipi-plugins, DigikamImagePlugins, Exiv2) and of course this 
have failed. I recommend you to work on only one part at the same time and 
complete it. This is the only way to see something works properlly. It's 
important to be motivated.
- Vacation : take your time. For example, this summer, after 9 mouth of 
intensive developpement, i have cut all communications with opensource world 
during 3 weeks (no computer, no TV, no phone). Just me, my familly, and my 
DSC (:=))). I recommend you a nice region from France, like Cantal (:=)))...

Just my little experience. I hope that you continue your work on gwenview. 
It's important for opensource world.

Gilles