[PVE-User] How is Proxmox VE developed?

[Dietmar Maurer]

>  * Availability of Proxmox 2:  even if it's not even beta yet, can I get my hands
> on it?  I really don't like the idea of installing a new server on a lenny-based
> system that I'd then have to upgrade very soon.

We will release a beta version when we have something usable.

>  * Developer community:  Is there an open development community?  While
> there are source tarballs, I can't find developer mailing lists, access to source

Please use the forum, or this mailing list.

> code repositories (git, svn, whatever) and similar resources.  

Source is available via ftp: 

see http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Where_to_get_the_sources

>From afar
> Proxmox looks like a "in theory open source, but developed like commercial
> software" project.

Proxmox VE is Open Source (GPL). We open SVN/Bugzilla and other resources 
for people actively contributing code (on request).

>  * Official Debian packages:  I'm a Debian Developer, so of course I think
> about this when I see debian based products under a Free license...: is it
> planned to have PVE in Debian's "main" repository?  It's completely
> opensource, so this should only be the matter of uploading the Debian
> packages (perhaps after a bit more QA work.  I haven't looked at the
> packages yet, so maybe they're already ok.)

We provide fixes and patches which are not included to some Debian packages (for various reasons).
So users will end up with a broken installation if they use the standard Debian repository. We also
want to control what packages should be updated. The way to do that is to use our own repository.
So we are currently not interested to get the packages into the standard Debian repository. 

>  * Trademark issues: Related to these two:  If somebody were to upload
> Proxmox VE into Debian, would one need to de-brand it first?  Or are the
> Proxmox logo etc. freely licensed with the software?

No, the Logo is not free. Proxmox is a registered trademark and you can't use it without permission.
 
- Dietmar