Re: Consortium Caml

[guttman@mitre.org (Joshua D. Guttman)]

Michel Mauny <Michel.Mauny@inria.fr> writes:

>   the Consortium will be the place where the members can identify
>   their common requirements, exchange their experiences and
>   solutions, and co-operate to propose a particular development of
>   general interest. One of the Consortium's roles is therefore to be
>   a place where users of the language can meet and exchange
>   information.

I wonder whether it would be possible to explain the proposed
activities of the consortium in more detail.  How does it differ from
this mailing list, for instance?  Many of these activities have been
going on through this mailing list.

I've been using Caml for my programming for four years now, and I've
been gradually coaxing, luring, or coercing my colleagues into joining
me.  There has been some resistance, such as "Won't it be done quicker
if I just use Java?  I already know all the libraries."  But there is
now a nucleus of Caml usage here, and I think that the English
translation of the Chailloux/Manoury/Pagano book will speed the
process.

So I would like to have my organization join the consortium.

However, to get authorization to spend a couple thousand euros, I need
to be able to explain exactly what the benefits to the company will
be.  How shall I explain this?

I'd also ask whether the cost may be a trap.  Is 2,000 euros per
member enough to make a big difference to INRIA?  Does it offset the
disadvantage of being a barrier to joining?  Would it be better to
have a fee of say 500 euros, which may lead to many more members?
Many projects can spend on that scale without much explanation to
outside bureaucrats.

Thanks very much.  Caml is a remarkably high quality system, and I
hope for the success of the consortium as a way to promote it.

        Joshua 
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	Joshua D. Guttman		<guttman@mitre.org> 
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