A general purpose operating system like Debian can be the perfect solution for many different problems. Whether you want Debian to work for you in the classroom, as a games machine, or in the office, each problem area has its own unique needs and requires a different subset of packages tailored in a different way. If you would like to start a subproject of Debian that will focus on a particular way Debian can be used, this HOWTO is for you.
Other Debian subprojects have a slightly different relationship to the Debian project. The X Strike Force zeroes in on one application, X, and all of the support programs that come with it. The Debian QA group has a broader scope, concerning itself with the quality of all Debian packages. While this document was written specifically with "subset" projects like Debian Jr. and Debian Med in mind, I hope subprojects of all kinds within Debian will also benefit from the insights gained through my experience working with Debian Jr.
Many of the lessons learned by successful Debian subgroups can be found in each
group's list archives at http://lists.debian.org/
. Look
through the list of subprojects at http://www.debian.org/devel
and
see the list archives for each one.
Debian Subproject HOWTO
12 February 2003synrg@debian.org