Website admin wanted for Lyre project -- Free/Open hardware DAP for use with RB

[casainho]

Hello :-)

We are looking for an admin for project site: http://lyre.sourceforge.net/

Alex Cantos created that account on SF and installed Drupal, but can't no more work it because of personal reasons.

We need the website mainly for promotion of the project and in next two months we hope to have on selling our hardware (on Ebay shop like this one) and them we will need a support forum. We also need a blog so developers can write about what they are doing.

Please read more about the Lyre project on wiki page at Rockbox.

[cool_walking_]

we will need a support forum

If it's a proper Rockbox port (not a fork) can't you just use the usual Rockbox support channels (these forums, IRC, etc)?

[casainho]

we will need a support forum

If it's a proper Rockbox port (not a fork) can't you just use the usual Rockbox support channels (these forums, IRC, etc)?

Well, the project is also hardware. We hope to have an Ebay shop selling the hardware fully assembled and tested + some hardware modules, as an base board for developers + modules. Would this Rockbox forum be proper for also hardware discussion, help?

[cool_walking_]

Well, there is a "Hardware" forum.

[casainho]

Well, there is a "Hardware" forum.

Ok, seems you can be right. I would like to hear the forum admins about this idea, of using Rockbox forums for give help/support of Lyre hardware + Rockbox port for Lyre.

(I don't know if I should create another thread for asking this or they will read this message.)

[Llorean]

The "hardware" section is for support of Rockbox's drivers / code for hardware. Not support for the hardware itself.

These forums are for support of the Rockbox project, that is the software and code stored in our SVN servers and the results of that code when compiled.

Direct support of the hardware itself doesn't really belong here. As a minimum, you're going to need to provide your own support channels for shipping issues, issues with the physical hardware itself, and similar, I think.

[casainho]

The "hardware" section is for support of Rockbox's drivers / code for hardware. Not support for the hardware itself.

These forums are for support of the Rockbox project, that is the software and code stored in our SVN servers and the results of that code when compiled.

Direct support of the hardware itself doesn't really belong here. As a minimum, you're going to need to provide your own support channels for shipping issues, issues with the physical hardware itself, and similar, I think.

Thank you Llorean, it's clear now.

[cool_walking_]

The "hardware" section is for support of Rockbox's drivers / code for hardware. Not support for the hardware itself.

Okay, how about "Repairing and Upgrading Rockbox Capable Players" ?

your own support channels for shipping issues, issues with the physical hardware itself, and similar, I think.

I think these things are normally done one-on-one via email.

[Llorean]

The "Repairing and Upgrading" section is there because installing Rockbox often voids a warranty and it gives users a place to discuss how to get their players working again.

I didn't say they shouldn't be done by email. I simply said they should provide their own support channels of some sort for it, email would qualify as one.

What I don't think is right is the idea that someone should attempt to offload support for hardware they sell onto our volunteer forums entirely.

Rockbox doesn't provide the hardware, and the Rockbox forums should not be an official support location for the hardware

As well, if it's a fork support doesn't belong here. All that belongs here is support for builds provided by us. That means users of the Lyre should upgrade to the current build or the most recent release on our website before seeking support from us.

[cool_walking_]

The "Repairing and Upgrading" section is there because installing Rockbox often voids a warranty and it gives users a place to discuss how to get their players working again.

I don't see why the reason you need to repair the player should matter.  Which is more valid: "I ran over my player with my car", or "I spilled pickle juice on my player"?

I didn't say they shouldn't be done by email. I simply said they should provide their own support channels of some sort for it, email would qualify as one.

I didn't think you meant they shouldn't be done by email, but rather that you didn't consider it.

What I don't think is right is the idea that someone should attempt to offload support for hardware they sell onto our volunteer forums entirely.

I see it more as keeping everything in one place instead of fragmenting the community.

Rockbox doesn't provide the hardware, and the Rockbox forums should not be an official support location for the hardware

hmm okay.

As well, if it's a fork support doesn't belong here.

Yes, I know.  I said that in my first post in this thread, but I still don't know for sure if this actually is a fork.  I assumed not, because I remember seeing a patch for Lyre in the tracker.

[Llorean]

Again though, the Lyre project is hardware, and it's not done by Rockbox. The same rules apply to it as any other port. We provide support for what we provide, and nobody should be offloading their support here.

It shouldn't receive special treatment.

[cool_walking_]

So are people allowed to ask questions about repairing Lyre players here?  If so, what's the practical difference between (1) the Rockbox forums getting all the action because Lyre doesn't have their own, and (2) the Rockbox forums getting all the action because they're more popular, even though Lyre has their own ?

[Llorean]

The difference is whether Lyre attempts to provide their own support for the hardware they sell, or whether they tell users to come to our forums for support.

Again, these forums are for Rockbox support. When people have problems with the hardware and are using the original firmware, we direct them to the manufacturer. In this case the original firmware happens to be Rockbox, but it's still not our responsibility to provide support locations for the hardware itself.

The third party forums are entirely for user support, and should not become an "official" support channel for anyone. It should especially not become a location that someone selling players sends their users to, creating extra effort for us to keep their users' posts organized and orderly, rather than them providing their own support for what they sell.

I think the point you're missing is that there is a distinction between the Lyre project and the Rockbox project. Lyre itself is hardware. It comes with Rockbox installed, but it's intended to be "open" hardware. The intent of it is that it could run other firmwares, should they exist or should someone modify Rockbox.

There almost certainly will be a need for support for the hardware independently of Rockbox. Questions about it that do not pertain to running Rockbox on it. The location for such things should be provided by the Lyre project, not by the Rockbox project.

[cool_walking_]

Makes sense.

[yapper]

Playing Devil's Advocate:
<DA>
If the Lyre hardware is sold solely with the intention of it running Rockbox (i.e. no OF) then surely there is a strong link between the two projects?

In terms of effort required to organize posts, I think that is a bit over dramatic and could be handled in a very similar manner to custom builds.

Of course, if the 'official' view is that Rockbox (as a project) wants to distance it self from Lyre, then it would be polite if someone came forward and made that clear.
</DA>