Directory for open-source software

[Richard Bondi]

I'll register once you have a Web server certificate that is signed by 
someone other than "Snake Oil, CA"!
Best,
Richard Bondi
www.cryptovb.com

At 12:30 PM 12/9/2000 -0400, Steve Mallett wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>I know this list is for discussion of licenses, but with some work the subject
>of this email (my site) may help eliminate some unecessary traffic on this
>list.  For instance, questions like "Is such & such open-source??"
>
>I'd like to ask for the list member's thoughts on my website concept:
>Open-Source Directory (OSD).
>
>Over the last three months I've created a website whose mission is to
>provide a resource for endusers and developers to verify that a package,
>consisting of software together with its accompanying license is an
>open-source distribution.
>
>It is/will be a directory of stable open-source software that will list
>product's meta-data based on ESR's Trove specs for such data.  For 
>instance, its
>**license**, authors, history of changes, binary/source download address, bug
>reporting contacts, dependencies etc..
>
>We're at www.opensourcedirectory.org   We are still testing, but are
>near to doing some announcements. We look a lot like Sourceforge since we use
>their GPL'd code.  Their software map has a basis with the Trove specs. To 
>what
>degree I'm not a party to.
>
>Getting into the long story....I started this after emailing ESR to see if a
>directory of open-source software was of use.  He said yes and so here I am
>...with some of his helpful input.  (Any screw-ups are totally mine.)
>
>I have had some discussions over the last few months with some folks in the
>community, but let's just say that SourceForge has listed OSD on their page of
>folks who use SF code.  After some explantion of OSD's scope & function
>(non-developement) everything got smoothed out.  Also I had some discussion
>regarding OSD vs. Freshmeat & LinuxApps.  That person came to
>agree that we were not redundant since both of these entities focus on Linux
>where OSD is indifferent to what platform the pkgs are written for.  So far
>these are the two major off-hand comments we've had to clear up.
>
>Now, we're not totally done. However; we are ready to do the actual job of
>listing product meta-data.  Before trying to attract developers of stable
>products to list, and while putting on the finishing touches, I'd greatly
>appreciate any comments, questions, concerns, assistance..anything from 
>members
>of this list.
>
>Thank you in advance,
>Steve Mallett,
>http://www.OpenSourceDirectory.org
>steve at opensourcedirectory.com