Perl Core Character Allison Randal Interview Record
Translation: klaus
Out: China Perl Association FPC (Foundation Of Perlchina)
Original name: An Interview with Allison Randal
Servers: Simon Cozens
Original: http://www.perl.com/pub/a/2004/05/19Allison.html
MAY 21, 2004
Perlchina reminds you: Please protect the author's copyright and maintain the crystallization of the author.
This week, Perl.com was honored to interview all of Allison Randal, one of the key characters of the entire Perl community. Allison has been active from its design process from Perl 6, and he is currently the Chairman of the Perl Foundation. Let us listen to her views on these things.
Perl.com: Be started, can you briefly introduce yourself?
Allison Randal: I am a Perl programmer from Portland in Oregon. I am the Chairman of the Perl Foundation, the supervisor of Perl 6 project (and code writing and designer), and operates a small consultation firm. I live a hobby life. When I didn't do various projects, I was in reading, or in my small garden drum pot pot.
PC: Can I introduce someone who don't know much, what is the Perl Foundation? What do it usually do?
Ar: Perl Foundation is a supporting mechanism for Perl development and a legal entity behind Perl. It is the copyright owner of Perl 6 and Parrot, as well as Larry Wall to PERL 5 copyright payment.
TPF is the core organization of Perl.org, Perl Mongers and Perl Monks. We support mailing lists, BUG reports, source code controls, and some websites that are critical to Perl via Perl.org. Because of some generous hardware donations, Perl.org has some significant upgrades last year. We support Perl's grassroots culture through Perl Mongers and Perl Monks. Perl has always been community-centered, and all of these two communities face-to-face and all kinds of exchanges are very important for the entire community to maintain strong and dynamic states. TPF is also awarded the Bai Luo Camel a year, rewards those who make important contributions to Perl communities.
TPF also supports Perl development through our quarterly funding. There are many of these funds. For a separate project, it may be 500 $ or less, or it may give full funding for the whole year.
PC: So as the Chairman of TPF, what do you do every day?
Ar: I spend 10 to 20 hours a week to ensure that the entire institution is running. Sometimes this kind of thing is very simple, just like a reminder message. But more, it means you have to get involved in any strange task. I have done: Write a press release, manage the website, set up in the TPF conference, edit the fund application report, organize vote, negotiate with the donors, and talk to the artist, arrange the company's license, etc. Issues.
PC: It sounds like it! No one helps you?
Ar: The mission of the Chair of the Foundation has become more and more to others. With the continuous development of TPF, we need a collaborative team to afford these work. In addition to the faces previously familiar, we have added some new volunteers this year: Larry Hixon is responsible for fundraising, GAVIN ESTay is responsible for public relations, Baden Hughes is a secretary of the fund board. The full list can be found on the "Who's WHO" page of Perlfoundation.org. PC: You at the same time in the committee of the other Perl Foundation, what are you doing something like a planning committee?
Ar: The Planning Commission is responsible for the daily operation of the Foundation. In addition to some legal or financial decisions, the Planning Commission and the Council have equal rights.
PC: There is another YAPC committee, YAPC seems to be very popular in the world, is the TPF role in it?
Ar: TPF directly operates North America YAPC, the YAPC in other parts of the world is largely independent. We provide help and start funds within the scope of power, but so far, these meetings have donated us more funds to us.
PC: We used to talk about "Yet Another Society", but now the main driving force of the Perl community is from the Perl Foundation. What is the relationship between these two groups?
Ar: Perl Foundation and "Yet Another Society" are actually two names of the same organization. Recently, we often use the Perl Foundation name because it represents our work.
PC: Tell us about the process of the fund application - Who can apply, how do you choose a funded object, TPF wants to support what kind of project, and so on.
Ar: Anyone can submit an application. Detailed content can be found on the "How to Write a Proposal" page on Perlfoundation.org. The application is applied by the Fund Committee every quarter. We also support the core Perl development project, but other Perl projects are also welcome.
PC: Where is the resources of TPF?
Ar: TPF has a small number of support, some of the medium-sized companies, as well as more personal sponsors, so we have a lot of resources from each source. You may think: "I am just a person, donation is not donated." But if every Perl user around the world donates 25 $, then we can support Larry full workers for many years. In fact, even the company's sponsorship is ended from individual, because someone suddenly thinks: "Hey, our company gets too much from Perl, let's do a little return."
PC: Let's talk about Perl 6. What is the role in the support of the Perl 6 project?
Ar: We do try our best to balance in Perl 5 and Perl 6 projects. We support Perl 6 is the most direct way to fund the design of Larry Wall to Perl 6. We funded his year, 2003 for half a year in 2002, and I hope that in 2004 can support the whole year. We also fund Damian Conway in 2001 and 2002, as well as Dan Sugalski for half a year of 2002.
PONIE project (Perl 5 running on Parrot) is part of the large Perl 6 project. It is donated by Fotango to develop human forms to operate to the Perl Foundation.
PC: What is the meaning of Perl 6 project manager? AR: The responsibility of the project manager is to ensure that everyone gets what he needs, so that you can continue to advance. It is not a variety of orders, but to listen to those who need help. It encourages people to make the best work with existing resources, rather than being forced to do things they can't do.
We have an outstanding team: smart, enthusiasm, and humor who is working in the bottom. You will feel that such a team is definitely full of self-centerism, but there is no root. Working with such a team is a happiness.
PC: What is the design process of Perl 6? What is it in the Perl6-Language discussion group and apocalypse and the exegesis?
Ar: The entire design process is the process of constantly inspiration, there are some receiving, some rejected, and some retrofit. It reminds me of middle school. When you leave the classroom, you will not forget these inspiration, you are absorbing these inspiration every moment. In addition to the information in the mailing list, the design team opens a conference on a week, and we will meet with the opportunity. The next design conference will be later in July.
PC: How is the design process of Perl 6?
Ar: Very healthy. The key to completing a marathon is very simple: no to stop. Write software is also the same, especially as this scale. It will make the best athletes exhausted too much, but you lose your power too slowly. We are holding a suitable step and is constantly making progress.
Luke Palmer is writing the first draft of SynopSIS 12. Damian will start writing Exegesis 12 during the summer vacation to the United States. Larry is a rest and thinking about which ApocalyPse should he write. His next steps may be the outline of Synopsis as the ApoCalyPSe remaining in order to accelerate the work behind. PARROT has recently taken a big step in object-oriented and Unicode support. Dan is recently written Events.
PC: The last problem, when can Perl 6 beeta can be completed?
Ar: This problem is difficult to answer, because too many factors can affect this procedure. According to the current development status of Parrot, as well as the progress of design work, I think we have completed it within two years.
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