What should we do about linuxsignpost.org?

[Petter Reinholdtsen]

The first information presented to the new user of a Skolelinux
network system, include a link to http://linuxsignpost.org/ in the
side bare under the Skolelinux heading.

But the link is redirected to a non-working service
<URL:http://www.skolelinux.no/linux-signpost/showUserMenu.php>

The Linux sign post was a nice web service for finding Linux
applications, and to find similar applications across operating
systems. One could pick a windows application and get a list of Linux
applications doing the same task, or visa versa.

But the web application is not maintained at the moment, and have
broken some way or another. What should we do about the web
application, and what should we do about the link. I guess the
options for the web application is to fix it or remove it, and the
options for the link is to replace it, remove it or keep it and wait
for the web app to be fixed.

Anyone willing in fixing the web application and maintain the database
behind it?

Is there a good alternative maintained by someone else that is
providing a similar web service?

If none of the answers to these questions are yes, I believe we should
remove the link from the default web page. What do the rest of you think?

You can have a look at the default page shown to users in
<URL: http://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/debian-edu/debian-edu-config.git/tree/www/index.html.en >.

[Alexander Alemayhu]

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
The first information presented to the new user of a Skolelinux
network system, include a link to http://linuxsignpost.org/ in the
side bare under the Skolelinux heading.

I have to admit I have not used linuxsignpost.org.

Is there a good alternative maintained by someone else that is

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
providing a similar web service?

Is osalt[0] maybe a good enough alternative?


[0]: http://www.osalt.com/education-and-science

[Andreas Tille]

Hi Petter,

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
Is there a good alternative maintained by someone else that is
providing a similar web service?

Not really similar but I previously mentioned that the tasks pages
to some extend serve the same purpose. (These would be even better
if #726492 would be solved ... hint, hint, hint.)

Kind regards

Andreas.

[Arnt Ove Gregersen]

Sorry, forgot to add the list.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Arnt Ove Gregersen <***@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 11, 2014 at 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: What should we do about linuxsignpost.org?
To: Petter Reinholdtsen <***@hungry.com>


Hi Petter,

On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Petter Reinholdtsen <***@hungry.com> wrote:
[...]

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
Anyone willing in fixing the web application and maintain the database
behind it?

I can assist helping to fix it, if we see any value in keeping it ?

I am the one creating it, but I lack time to maintain it and further
developer it on my own.

When it is up and running though it would not take that much running
it on a daily basis, if we just keep it as it is. But I will prefer to
have more people helping me with that.

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
Is there a good alternative maintained by someone else that is
providing a similar web service?

I have seen several, can't recall so many of them now, but
softpedia.com can be used in a bit similiar way.

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
If none of the answers to these questions are yes, I believe we should
remove the link from the default web page. What do the rest of you think?

If I am the only one maintaining it, then yes.

[Petter Reinholdtsen]

OK, no-one volunteers to help so far, and given the history, it seem
unlikely that anyone that did not show up the last few years will.

Thus we drop the signpost service (who can remove it from the web
pages?) and either find a replacement for the web pages or remove the
line from the web page.

I've noticed three suggestions as replacements:

1) http://softpedia.com or http://linux.softpedia.com/
2) http://www.osalt.com/education-and-science
3) http://blends.debian.net/edu/tasks/index

Should we use one of these instead?

I'm not sure if any of them are useful for teachers trying to find
software to use. Perhaps adding a suggestion for golearn is a better
approach? golearn worked for me yesterday, and give a very good list
of educational software.

[Holger Levsen]

Hi,

Post by Petter Reinholdtsen
3) http://blends.debian.net/edu/tasks/index

I think mentionioning golearn and this blends task list is a good idea.


cheers,
Holger