Notes on GNU Social for Final Report

Here's what I have so far.  Too long?  Too short?  Feel free to add
suggestions to the etherpad (please include your name on the top right, to
see who's made an edit)

http://openetherpad.org/GMVcbGExv3

*GNU Social has been one of the success stories of 2010.  Following on from
the libre.fm project, there was felt a need to separate out the social
features into a self contained unit, codenamed Daisychain / GNU Social.  The
project picked up pace when the project lead, Matt Lee, was able to gain an
endorsement from Richard Stallman, of the Free Software Foundation.

Diverse discussion formed a part of an extensive design phase including
input from Free Software exponents, well known industry figures and linked
data experts such as Tim Berners-Lee and Dan Brickley.

The core project was given a lift when status.net (previously identi.ca)
announced they would donate their codebase.  The first concrete
implementation of GNU Social 0.1 (codename ritter) is up and running based
on the status.net codebase, and features distributed users, groups and
microblogging.

Satellite projects spawned from the discussions include, the Diaspora
project, a P2P GNU Social Protocola and planned integration with the elgg
platform (with working prototype at lorea.cc).  This momentum looks set to
continue into 2011 as more developers come on board, and more features are
added.*