Xpresso LINUX. This file gives details of the people needed for the Xpresso LINUX project, why competitors will ALL cost more, even FREE Linux downloads, and how everyone world-wide will benefit from Xpresso LINUX. This file is named linux_x3.txt. Date of last edit 21/3/99. Number of characters 9023. The aim of Xpresso LINUX is to create a safe simple installation of the free Linux OS for all users of Microsoft DOS / Windows (3.1, 95, 98, NT) at a price that is almost completely FREE. See below. Time spent on other downloads and problems for new Linux users mean that Xpresso LINUX is really the lowest cost and BEST VALUE for everyone. It will actually be better and cost LESS than the completely free (download), as available now. Xpresso Ltd is a new company (not traded as at 16 March 1998) formed for this purpose. It has one director and one shareholder - Stephen Jackson (age mid 40's, solvent and he is not a software programmer). The proposed software program Xpresso LINUX is outlined in file linux_x1.txt (which is constantly changing and evolving), though now almost complete(?) Needed as at 16 March 1998 to work as partners on the project and receive a share of 90% of the revenues of Xpresso LINUX, are the following people - 1. One or more web masters who can set up a site for everyone working on the program or others just interested, to access the latest source code to work on it and/or send in suggestions via the Internet. Bear in mind that from a small acorn a giant oak tree may grow. Incoming traffic will change from programmers in the project to customers who wish to download the product and make enquiries. The web master(s) will need to create and maintain a database for all these humans and for the sale of further products including systems now being created for machine intelligence and user software, by Stephen Jackson (the creator of Xpresso Ltd) and later on others involved in the corporation. The net name xpresso.org has been registered. (In answer to your question why not .com? because Xpresso is more like an organisation to help the human race, than a purely profit motivated business. 2. One or more program masters (first class programmers), who can implement the design outline of the coding. How it will be structured and depending upon who volunteers, who will do what and with what tools etc. The program will be a jigsaw of pieces which must end in a coherent working whole. 3. General programmers who will work on the code, based upon the program master(s) ideas etc. How will Xpresso LINUX work? 99% of computer users have absolutely no idea of what a piece of code looks like. Furthermore they don't want to or don't have time to learn. Neither can they build a television. They just want to buy one, plug it in and turn it on. Those who have seen Linux working know it is a very stable and flexible computer OS. The idea is to help 60 million or more MS Windows users make the installation of the Linux OS on their computers simple, with almost zero input. It can be done - please read file linux_x1.txt. Xpresso Ltd - Stephen Jackson - is creating a 20(?) page manual which will be a file included with the Xpresso LINUX program. Others will be able to work on this also, following the aims of a short simple clear explanation of everything a new Linux user will wish or need to know, upon meeting Linux for the first time. Yes it can be done - in just 20 pages. Bear in mind the entire Linux OS installation is being fully automated by the Xpresso LINUX program. The finished product will be sold by Internet download to MS DOS/Windows users for the price of $4.95 with 2 text file manuals (help.txt - just a few lines) and the manual (linux_x2.txt). Or it will be sold retail for $14.95 including one CD Rom and a low cost 20 page book (the file linux_x2.txt). The program will be licensed to re-sellers world-wide and they will print manual and arrange to press CD Rom and distributors for five(?) world regions will do this etc. Xpresso LINUX will be a completely open source project, though the code will remain the copyright of Xpresso Ltd, excluding any free software incorporated therein. Users are expected to pay but no lawyers will chase anyone who cheats. We will trust people. Stephen Jackson will receive between 5% and 10% of Xpresso LINUX revenues and the remaining 90% to 95% will be distributed monthly when received. Xpresso's partners will operate a democracy with one person one vote - that is anyone who is accepted on the project and carries out the work. A vote will be taken on who receives what but a few percent will go to the main web master(s) and the main program designer(s) for that part of the work, with the balance divided between 10, 30, or 100 (?) other programmers. According to time spent on code or the value of that code to the project. The program masters will decide whose work is most valuable etc. with all able to vote also. Expected net revenues are from $4.95 to $14.95 (less the cost of the CD Rom and book printing and distribution margins) for each sale x the number of MS Windows users who say YES. Perhaps 60 million buyers (?) but no one can say exactly how many at the moment. It is anyone's guess. The costs also involved are the main web site(s) run by the web master(s). Ideally at first until xpresso.org goes public, data storage can be shared and spread around and a web server will be chosen wherever the costs are lowest on planet Earth. More programs are needed for the Linux OS to make it even more appealing than just being a very stable and excellent operating system. As at 16 March 1998 the following is happening (more will follow). Xpresso Ltd has asked Inprise/borland.com to please bring out Visual C for Linux or Delphi for Linux (they have been told that, in case they don't know, there is unlikely to be a Microsoft for Linux (!). Please email Inprise/borland.com in support of this Many programs are available now for the Linux OS. WordPerfect for Linux (a word processor) is available now and very good. Corel is building a full Linux office suite. Star Office 5.0 for Linux is recommended and is a full office suite and very good. It is also quite a low price (less than half of Microsoft's office suite). IBM have announced they are working on Lotus Notes and Domino for Linux. Numerous databases for Linux are being worked on or ready now - Oracle, IBM DB2, InterBase and others included. Netscape Navigator for Linux is available now. Hundreds of companies can see the coming need for Linux programs; they are coding now. Within two years this stream will become a torrent... The world needs a stable and low cost computer OS. The corporate world cannot function building on shaky OS foundations (and high costs per computer). Linux is free but costs time and money (to download and set up) and it is difficult for the average person to do this. Millions will not leave MS Windows until Linux is made simple to install and use. Competitors to Xpresso LINUX are Red Hat, SuSE and one or two other companies. Their products have been examined and the Xpresso LINUX project is based upon the difficulties found therein. This project is of world-wide importance for all humanity. If you are a programmer you can help. Your reward - a share of the revenues - could be very substantial. And you will be helping all mankind. If you only believe in completely FREE software ask yourself - What good is FREE when no one can use/install it without massive headaches/problems? Go to www.dejanews.com - search for Linux - and read some problems people have had installing Linux. Or just read any magazine! Please help us to help mankind. Please join us now. If you are a computer hardware/software corporation you can help. We don't really need money, just programming help. And anyone who supports us will be recommended to the tens (later hundreds?) of millions of computer users who take up the Linux OS using our simple automated proces and other systems we are working on. If you can spare just one programmer, please do. Please note that no one person or corporation will be allowed to have more than a10% share in the revenues including Stephen Jackson the creator of Xpresso Ltd himself. A certified accountant will be chosen soon to handle to company's revenue receipts and monthly payments (using the web master's automated database system). They must be willing to work for an initial very low cost. Let us know if you can recommend anyone. You may freely distribute this file to anyone you wish. If you have any questions just email me know at xpresso@compuserve.com Remember, at the moment it is just me! One person! So be patient! Stephen Jackson Director Copyright Xpresso Ltd. P.O. Box 11, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 0SQ, England Tel (London) 0181 559 2600 Fax (London) 0181 498 9834 E-mail - xpresso@compuserve.com All trademarks are acknowledged. Linux is registered to Linus Torvalds.