[hypermail] getting the hypermail project on its feet again

I don't believe that I am the only one feeling frustrated of this crippled limping development we're seeing in this project. I've tried to write down a few areas I think need some attention from us. I'm not trying to run things or making a take-over. You know I get bored when things don't move... Feel free to object or suggest other ways of doing this.

• Web site

  Nothing personal against anyone, but I find the hypermail.org website   terrible. The fact that it hasn't been updated for years is of course   contributing to this.

  Suggestion 1: we make the web site based on a CVS'ed directory. The web   site automatically 'cvs update' like once an hour/day or so, and the people   who have CVS write access may freely edit the pages and commit them at will.

  Suggestion 2: one person becomes 'webmaster' and may take whatever means   necessary to set up things and a framework so that suggestion 1 becomes   possible.

• Management

  Lack of management makes releases infrequent if at all. Lack of management   makes changes undone, patches untouched and suggestions unheard. We did   talk about setting up a "core group" that would decide in key subjects, but   so far this has failed and I figure we still act with Kent as the leader   and "boss". Nothing really happens until he explains his opinion. During   periods when Kent is busy and not very present, not much happens.

  Suggestion 3: we make the core group real. I want it stated officially on   the web site and on the mailing list. I want the core group to get things   done.

• Development

  Suggestion 4: When we know who the core guys are, we create a TODO list   with items prioritized and sorted. We set them up for specific releases (I   want 2.0 to be released yesterday). We set a goal for where the hypermail   development is aiming. Possibly, we can assign tasks to persons and   possibly, we can assign persons responsible for various areas of hypermail.

If we don't act, hypermail will continue its decay and it will eventually just end up on that huge pile of dead software projects. I'll certainly abandon the ship before that happens. I just think it would be a shame to see that happen when there's potential in the project.

-- 
      Daniel Stenberg - http://daniel.haxx.se - +46-705-44 31 77
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