Why have we not upgraded Lynx?

[Andrew Higgins]

2¢ 
2¢ Andrew,
2¢ 
2¢    Yes, I have it. And I personally can't do a single thing
2¢ about it, any more than you can, because I don't have the
2¢ necessary expertise at solving the Unix problems with it that
2¢ will come up on SCN's FreePort-ish system.
2¢ 
2¢    There are exceptionally few people who do. And their time is
2¢ already booked solid for the foreseeable future. What you are
2¢ asking is to move this higher in the priority list, and move
2¢ something else that is now a higher priority to a lower one.
2¢ 
2¢    Right now, getting all of the IMAP related software installed
2¢ and working is a considerably higher priority than SSL for Lynx,
2¢ to take one example. I am not in favor of reversing that
2¢ particular priority. It's unlikely that SSL for Lynx will be a
2¢ reality any time soon, unless we can find substantially more
2¢ highly qualified Unix sysadmin volunteer time.
2¢ 
2¢ Rod Clark
2¢ 


Rod,
	Thank you. Finally a reasoned response. I disagree with the term
"priorities" however.
	It has never seemed to me that there _is_ a system for
establishing priorities. A codified set of needs, triage for what must get
done in what order, and assignments to individuals to get them done. Many
things appear to move forward on a `pet project' basis. Perhaps this is
misinformed or ignorant, patently unfair, but this is how it appears from
my perspective. Appatently from yours as well. Unless things have changed
drastically in 4½ months...

(From another list, absolutely no state secrets revealed)

On Tuesday Sep 21 1999 Rod Clark wrote -

>   As far as I know there's been no attempt to recruit anyone
>new and bring them into Operations to do this. We already know
>that the (4 or 5?) root people aren't going to, but does that
>mean that one of SCN's most visible services is abandoned
>because a tiny handful of sysadms don't have any personal
>interest in supporting it? What's the next service that will go
>this way - SMTP? What is SCN anyway, the preserve of a few
>priviliged people who can kill off major services in an
>offhanded manner if they personally are disinterested in
>supporting them? Isn't SCN an organization with at least some
>ongoing structure to support its services and its users?

	Take your answer for example. IMAP software is necessary for
ditching Freeport mail, coordination of the Endymion WWWeb Mail software
with Pine email, etc. That's a good thing. Is it a priority? Is it *the*
priority over security, Slip/PPP, Linux, Chebucto et alia. Who is setting
these in order, assigning the tasks and crossing them off the top of the
list and bumping everything up one. I ask because I'm interested, and it's
not at all clear from what I can glean at http://www.scn.org/ops/. One of
the first numbered item on the list there states the need for -

          + developing a method for assigning tasks against a known pool
            of person/hours.	

leading me to believe that that's not how it is currently being done. 

Let me finish by recognizing the hard work and dedication of the many
volunteers at SCN and all that they do. I am in awe of the wisdom and
experience brought to bear in these fields. If the sum total of my
knowledge of these matters were binarily codified it would be all zeds.
Nada, nichts, nil, bupkus. I appreciate all that is done.

-Andrew

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