Marcus,
What we want to do is a CD (or other medium) that doesn't only contain free software but also information about the free software movement. All the way from its birth to the present. By doing this we hope to place each program in a wider perspective and describe not only what it is but also why it was written and maybe why it looks/works like it does.
We at the OpenCD did include some literature about open source/free software -- "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" for one, and "Free as in Freedom", along with several other essays. What you're proposing sounds rather more ambitious; sort of a biography-of-a-program, its beginnings, growth, and continuing development. I think it sounds interesting.
We hope to make this available so it can be deployed both on the OpenCD and Knoppix. We intend to make the first version in Swedish. After that we hope to have an English version if it is wanted. So Swedish contributors are wanted.
Well, speaking for the OpenCD, I think we could probably find space for such a thing, provided it wasn't too big, and fits in okay. And yes, we would want it in English. :-) Incidentally, we'd love to have a Swedish translation of the OpenCD -- we are working on the second edition right now, and it will have a new installer that's easier to localize. Could we get in touch with you in a couple of months once it's getting closer to the planned release date in March?
- Do you think this is this a good idea?
Yes.
- Do you want it?
Yes, if it's not too big and fits in with the OpenCD theme okay; I couldn't presume to speak for Knoppix. May I suggest focussing on a program that would be available in both the OpenCD and Knoppix? AbiWord, maybe.
- Does this already exist?
Well, Eric S. Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" is pretty close to what you are proposing; it discusses the evolution of fetchmail. You can read it (in Swedish) at this url:
http://home.swipnet.se/swi/KatB-se.html
- Does my English make sense?
- If not, I'm sorry, did my best!
Your English is fine. Much better than some. (One fellow who contacted me via email didn't speak any English at all; he used babelfish.altavista.com to translate from Spanish.)
Will Martin Project Lead -- The OpenCD Project