[mdlug] Hi...I'm a new mdluger

[Robert Meier]

Robert,

>>> Now I'm ready to send it to Sourceforge.net as Open-source.
>> If you've done this work on company time you better check with your
>> superiors before you release it to the public.
> No my company does not care...
> I've re-written everything from scratch over the last 6 months using GTK+.
> I've  also talked to a lawyer about this issue. He didn't see any problems.

>>> Has anyone here done this? Any tips?

Yes.

A few tips.

o Examine the many license choices and choose the one that fits best.
  e.g. GPL vs LGPL vs artistic vs BSD vs ...
o Think carefully about the project name.
  It'll be with you a long time.
o Consider alternatives to sourceforge.
  e.g. gnu
o Create an email address just for sourceforge.
  It will get spam.
o Comply strictly with portability standards.
  e.g. POSIX.2, FHS-2.3, ANSI C/C++
o Simplify default installation to no more than 4 lines.
  unpack, assemble, test, expose for use
  This is what people will try before deciding to use.
o Default installation should not require root privilege.
o Default installation should just copy files, should not require scripts.
o Write a second independent set of installation instructions that
  covers all configuration options.
  This is what people will use after they decide to use.
o Deinstallation must remove everything, even when things fail.
  Put all files in one project directory (e.g. /opt/<package>),
  and put only symlinks elsewhere (/etc, /usr/bin).
  Deinstall by removing all symlinks into the project directory,
  and the project directory.

See http://www.advogato.org/article/262.html for some 'best practice' tips.

o Be prepared for certain types of attack.
o Generate a keypair and sign everything you approve for release.
  There will be counterfeits.
o Write a 5?-year goal for the project, not more than 1 page.
o Be prepared for "helpers" who want your project to out-perform
  some other project, X.  Some will work (or prevent work) so as to limit
  any feature not part of project X, until your project is a poor
  copy of project X.

Hopefully helpful,
-- 
Robert Meier

  "You can observe a lot just by watchin'."
     -- Yogi Berra