I wonder whether you are interested in learning about and perhaps even participating in a software project that I believe will eventually be of interest to many cultural heritage institutions (research libraries, archives, and museums) similar to the Computer History Museum in their relationships with visitors/users.  The topic will be familiar to those of the addressees who heard a presentation I made to the CHM Software Preservation Group over a year ago--viz., long-term preservation of digital objects. In principle, we know precisely how to meet every essential requirement.  What is missing is a reduction to practice to demonstrate this and to persuade those who want a solution.  The project I have in mind will accomplish this. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued an RFP for " <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503141" target="_blank">Sustainable Digital Data Preservation and Access Network Partners (DataNet)</a> ".  See <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503141" target="_blank">http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503141</a> .  I intend to bid for an R&D contract within this initiative, collecting a small collegial team to develop the necessary software in open source form, collaborating with one or more museums or research libraries to build useful demonstration collections (e.g., for university or secondary school education), and deploying those publicly in the second year of the project.  I have in mind activating such a team only if the proposal is accepted by NSF.   I.e., there would be modest compensation for time and expertise.  The current note is a very early step towards putting together the small team that I believe will be needed.  I believe that there is no need for team members to reside close together. It turns out that the amount of new software needed is surprisingly small.  You can learn why I believe this by looking at some of my publications or pre-publication drafts.  See <a href="http://home.pacbell.net/hgladney/hmgpubs.htm#" target="_blank">http://home.pacbell.net/hgladney/hmgpubs.htm#</a>_Toc517244717 .  (However, since this material was prepared for refereed professional periodicals, it does not present a convenient high-level description of the ideas or of the prospective project; I'm writing an executive overview to overcome this deficiency.) A tentative schedule for this work is:       November 12, 2008  -- preliminary proposal due at NSF.       May 15, 2009            -- complete formal proposal due at NSF.       September 2009        -- beginning of funded software development (estimate)       First project year      -- SW development and testing; pilot services for a few users              Second project year  -- package several collections; deploy from public repositories If you are interested in learning more, please let me know.  Depending on how many people respond (if any), we'll figure out how best to provide you whatever information you want.  Please feel free to share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested and qualified to participate. Best wishes, Henry H.M. Gladney, Ph.D.     HMG Consulting <a href="http://home.pacbell.net/hgladney/" target="_blank">http://home.pacbell.net/hgladney/</a>   (408)867-5454