Hi Tom, thanks for the response.
I have looked into the code of Janastu (what is available on the Google svn) and they are obviously also using a framework. Additionally, they are tied to a legacy CMS (Pantoto) which the commercial outfit behind the non-profit started developing in 1999 and which is now open source free software. The legacy code seems to be in Java. I think with an agenda that complicated, there was no way to fit SchoolTool in, even if the programmers are up to getting to grips with your unfinished system (which I believe they would be). I have quite a lot of experience with building large enterprise systems on a shoestring, so I understand the sensitive stages SchoolTool is currently experiencing. Especially the abstract code is very scary, because I have seen a lot of abstract code get thrown away at the end of the day. It's important to keep code in use, by the end user (be that the developer using the framework or the "actual" end user). It is quite alarming to find two projects with such similar aims and such similar technologies, both in the open source arena, but not cooperating. You have provided the reason - Janastu is obviously about getting results quickly for specific schools in the Indian context. Further that project leverages legacy code and concepts which have an established user base that directly feed into their project. I am certain a future version of SchoolTool will provide compatibility one day. Best regards, Ron Tom Hoffman wrote: > On Thu, Apr 3, 2008 at 5:55 AM, Ronald Wertlen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> PS Sorry about any confusion from the last post (bit rushed). More >> clarity/info on my blog... >> >> http://ekhayaict.com/wordpress/?p=78 > > Hi Ronald, > > I flat out missed this email, and I still can't find your "last post." > So sorry for the slow response. > > I don't think there is much we can do at this point. For better or > worse we are tied to Zope 3, and our codebase is rather abstract and > sophisticated. SchoolTool started with very ambitious objectives to > create an extensible, i18n and L10n-able framework for schools around > the world. This is enterprise software. > > The problem is that right now the value proposition for a project like > Janastu to use SchoolTool is at a low point. The codebase is complex, > individual components work and are being tested and used in a handful > of schools, but we are still in the process of pulling this together > into a coherent suite. > > So for web developers without heavy object oriented and component > design experience, getting up to speed on SchoolTool is a big step for > an uncertain benefit. It is also an uncertain benefit on our side. > We have a pair of developers. If they're spending time on IRC the > next six months trying to tutor programmers on the fine points of > ZCML, they aren't finishing SchoolTool 1.0 beta (due in October). > > There is a long term plan for solving this problem. First off, more > complete releases of SchoolTool make its value more certain. > Secondly, I'm hoping Grok 1.0 http://grok.zope.org/) and SchoolTool > 1.0 come out around the same time (i.e., next April), and we'll be > able to start leveraging the ease of development Grok brings to Zope 3 > for people looking to extend and modify SchoolTool. > > In the meantime, however, our priority is to keep our heads down and > finish SchoolTool. > > Having said all that, I'm always happy to offer advice and feedback to > any open source SIS or MIS project. > > --Tom -- Ronald Wertlen +27 79 4354681 (mobile) +27 46 6229567 (land) +49 179 4613526 (mobile) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://eKhayaICT.com/ *We build bridges across the digital divide* _______________________________________________ Schooltool mailing list [email protected] http://lists.schooltool.org/mailman/listinfo/schooltool
