Bootstrap Institute
6505 Kaiser Drive
Fremont, CA 94555


Date: 19 Apr 2000 17:42 PDT


From:   Doug Engelbart
doug@bootstrap.org
Bootstrap Institute
Reply-To: unrev-II@egroups.com

To:     UnRev-II@ONELIST.COM

Subject:   How my OHS-related commitment vector is shaping up


On the one hand, I've got large, integrated bootstrap framework that will stagnate if it doesn't start building up its launch velocity relatively soon.

And on the other hand, there are opportunities to cultivate explicit proposals amongst the people and organizational contacts I've made over the years -- opportunities which tend to fade with each passing month.

Several basics prevail:

Within this framework, an Open-Source evolution of an Open Hyperdocument System has the most solid position for a Tool-System "launch foundation."

And, in parallel, cultivating an appropriate community (or set of communities) of pro-active users is a critical adjunct -- towards estblishing an effective co-evolution process ASAP within their Human and

Tool Systems

Over and over, in evaluating various alternatives about what and whom to involve in early launch promotion, what has consistently won out in the strategic bootstrapping assessment has been a double, cooperative application target:

Target 1: to aim at supporting the project DKRs of software projects.

Target 2: to aim at supporting the "meta community's" DKR evolution.

Consistent with the above, my favored "Target 1" outline is sketched in the two-part "Tool-System vector" proposals cited below:

Part 1: "For Discussion: Early OHS development candidate vector:"

http://www.bootstrap.org/dkr/discussion/0840.html

Part 2: "Vector addition 1:"

http://www.bootstrap.org/dkr/discussion/0787.html

So, I guess I'm announcing an intention to begin actively promoting supportive funding and participation for this launch plan.

Initially targeting SRI as basic organizational platform within and from which to start cooperative planning.

It has good basic position within business, industry, government, universities, foundations, professional societies, etc.

It has appropriate project management infrastructure, and a good, initial set of the requisite knowledge, talent, and external connectivity.

I find supportive interest at important locations and levels, up to & including Curt Carlson, the CEO.

Next week we're having a purposeful visit by Mr. Werner Schaer, CEO of the Software Productivity Consortium, whose operations center is in the D.C. Area.

http://www.software.org

He arrives in town Monday evening.

A meeting is scheduled Tuesday morning at SRI with him, Curt Carlson, me and at least a couple of SRI staff who could take on responsibilities with associated proposals and contracts.

On May 22 I'll be in D.C. for most of the week, including an all-day invited session at DARPA. That day could well include exploratory presentation and discussiion of this proposed "vector." And there are a number of other long-time connections which will be explored.

We have initial possibilities within Sun and IBM from which could evolve active participation. And then others, too.

I'd like to see continuing discussion with this "OHS Team" about its potential role in the planning and pursuit of the above launch process.

One important role would be in developing its own special DKR about basic concepts, possibilities, assessments, recommendations, etc. which could affect the course of projects and the planned-for application communities. A very important need will exist for extensive and deep knowledge development about the basics of COllective IQ, DKRs, and about knowledge and its development.

Assessment, critique, sniffing out the nuggets that will emerge in surprising places, ...

Another role could be to actively produce some of the open-source innovations. Here it may need to consider how it could evolve a "business platform" from which to handle grants, proposals, contracts, and/or to provide technical or even operational support.

And if "collaboration" lives up to the potential with which we seem to be anointing it, this seed team could flower into what provides the most effective motivation, stimulation, guidance, intellecual basis, ... that bootstrapping will find in its future.

Appreciatively, Doug

Sincerely,



Douglas C. Engelbart, Ph.D.
doug@bootstrap.org