The OSGeo Foundation. Quality Software & Community Network. Geospatial World Forum 2012 Amsterdam, Nederlands. Arnulf Christl President

Transcription

1 The OSGeo Foundation Quality Software & Community Network Arnulf Christl President Amsterdam, Nederlands

2 Arnulf Christl Geospatial Systems Architect at metaspatial. President of OSGeo OGC Architecture Board Member OpenStreetMap Advocate Founder of several companies and initiatives, provides consulting for SDI and travels a lot. Geospatial Geospatial World World Forum Forum OSGeo Professional Open Source 2 / 48 42

3 A perspective on Open Source Geospatial 3/47

4 Agenda Software Development Proprietary and Open Source Thinking Free Software Licensing The Open Source Geospatial Foundation Vision and Mission Formal Structures OSGeo Live: Geospatial Open Source Software This presentation is available for download at 4/47

5 Part I What is Open Source? 5/47

6 Software Development Problem is identified Software development team Solves the problem Publish Software (or Code) Software users have new requirements, find bugs Code is improved new version is released 6/47

7 Proprietary production Proprietary motivation: Make Money Ask questions: Market analysis When is the software released? Development team develops software beta version release for beta tester beta tester reports errors to development team development team reproduces the error development team reports to the product management development team solves problem after OK from pm Goal: Sell licenses Product launch When is new functionality implemented? Who cares if something breaks? How many people develop software? What do the others do? 7/47

8 Proprietary Business Model Proprietary motivation: Make Money Primary Motivation: Market analysis Make money Primary Task: Development team beta version release develops for beta software tester Black Black Box Box beta tester reports errors to development team development team reproduces the error development developmentteam teamreports solvesto the product problem aftermanagement OK from pm Associated Business Model: Goal: Sell licenses Product launch Marketing of differentiation Restriction of distribution channels 8/47

9 A lot of this is unclear Because we don't know and it is not transparent! 9/47

10 But it can be much easier! 10/47

11 Open Source Paradigm Primary motivation: Solve Problem Then: Publish the Source Code! Let everybody use it Help them to copy it! 11/47

12 Copying is not Theft There is a big difference between material theft and digital copying. We have difficulties understanding this because we are material. But our Mind is not entirely material, therefore we can understand. A great 60 second cartoon by Nina Paley: Copying is not Theft. 12/47

13 Open Source Paradigm Primary motivation: Solve Problem...and publish the Source Code! Interaction with Users improve the Software, (iterate)...then release, often! 13/47

14 Open Source Development The Source Code contains all functionality (and only Source Code can be modified). Public (read) access to code improves the quality Bugs are typically fixed faster Code is more secure due to multiple scrutiny Innovation is easier and faster Users have full control about what they get...and many more advantages. Read by Karl Fogel for details 14/47

15 Open Source Business Primary motivation: Solve Problem Consulting Publish results Support Training Maintain specific distribution Implementation Interaction with Users Improve Software bug fixing Release often (iterate) Maintenance Service Level Agreement No Monopolies! Highly Competitive! 15/47

16 Overall Revenue in IT Less than 10% of revenue in IT is generated through selling software usage licenses. (i.e. by restricting copying) Read for more details 16/47

17 Why Proprietary? Because re-selling the same thing again and again is highly profitable!...and why is it not all Open Source? Because the Internet as main distribution media only emerged in the late 1990s! 17/47

18 Part II Legal Aspects of Open Source. 18/47

19 Proprietary Licenses You You are not allowed to copy are not allowed to modify You are not allowed to give away You are not allowed to improve You are not allowed to install You are not allowed to share You are not allowed to......another cartoon by Nina Paley: Terms of Services! 19/47

20 Free Software Licensing Free Software Licensing Not as in "free beer" but as in free speech You are free to: use it anywhere for any purpose understand and improve it adjust it to suit your needs collaborate with anybody else 20/47

21 Free Software Licensing Free Software Licensing Not as in "free beer" but as in free speech You are free to:! d e use it anywhere for e any purpose t understand andn improve it a r your needs adjust it toa suit u collaborate with anybody else G 21/47

22 Free Software Licensing Free Software is a legal licensing model (a vaccine) protecting your interests. The opposite is proprietary software protecting only the vendor's interests. Nota bene: "commercial software" is a frequently used misnomer. 22/47

23 Open Source Development Summarizing: Open Source is the superior development model The big business has recognized this long ago and provides full Open Source services (IBM). Software vendors adopt Open Source in geospatial including Autodesk, Oracle, esri and many others. Even Microsoft nowadays recognizes that Open Source works. 23/47

24 If even the die hards have adopted it... Why don't you too? 24/47

25 Part III How to find the right Geospatial Open Source Software? 25/47

26 Using Open Source? Yes, but: Anybody can call anything "Open Source" And a name does not automagically make better software! 26/47

27 Quality Open Source Open Source Geospatial Foundation Your Open Source Compass...organizes spatial IT 27/47

28 The first OSGeo brand item Geospatial Geospatial World World Forum Forum OSGeo Professional Open Source 28 / 48 42

29 The OSGeo Foundation OSGeo is a global non-profit organization founded in February 2006 Leading voice for Geospatial Open Source Structure similar to the Apache Foundation Volunteer based Funded by sponsorship 29/47

30 OSGeo's Mission Support and promote the highest quality Open Source Geospatial Software 30/47

31 OSGeo's Goals Provide resources for FOSS4G projects: Infrastructure Legal Financial Promote free and open geospatial data Create and maintain a quality brand Create and promote free curriculum Promote and contribute to standards 31/47

32 OSGeo's Structure Charter Members vote Board of 9 Directors and President Officers Officers 25 Officers represent Committees Committees Committees Committees Committees Committees Local Local Chapters Local Chapters Chapters 125 Charter Members elected by Membership Local Local Chapters Foundation Chapters Projects Sponsors 32/47

33 Activities Support FOSS4G on a global scale Support local activities and capacities Facilitate inter-project communication Build a solid market for businesses and users Interface with industry and business Support the education of domain experts not «brand-specialists» Many more... 33/47

34 Activities Support FOSS4G on a global scale Support local activities and capacities Facilitate inter-project communication Build OSGeo a solidlocal market for businesses Chapter Nederland and users Interface with industry and business Support the education of domain experts not «brand-specialists» Many more... 34/47

35 Activities Support FOSS4G on a global scale Support local activities and capacities Facilitate inter-project communication Build a solid market for businesses and users Interface with industry and business Support the education of domain experts not «brand-specialists» Many more... 35/47

36 June 10th to 16th 2012 Bolsena, Italy Geospatial Geospatial World World Forum Forum OSGeo Professional Open Source 36 / 48 42

37 Quality Control Incubation: Project Health Inspection Copyright, licenses, ownership Development process quality Documentation, tutorials, support Community functioning... More details are available on the Web: 37/47

38 OSGeo's Structure Charter Members vote Board of 9 Directors and President Officers Officers 25 Officers represent Local Local Chapters Local Chapters Chapters 125 Charter Members Committees Committees Committees Committees Committees Incubation Committee elected by Membership Local Local Chapters Foundation Chapters Projects Sponsors 38/47

39 Activity Monitor Mailing Lists Year Number of Lists Subscribers Unique Subscribers /47

40 Project stats 2011 Period Projects LOC contrib 12 mo contrib /47

41 * Enterprise ready web mapping UMN MapServer Quantum GIS MapServer MapNik deegree GeoMajas OSSIM GRASS GIS udig Geopublisher gvsig KOSMO deegree GIS ZOO Project GMT MapGuide OS OpenLayers desktop GIS OpenStreetMap MapFish GeoServer Mapbender Viking Quantum GIS GeoNetwork metadata FDO GDAL/OGR GeoKettle GeoTools GEOS PostGIS MetaCRS SpatialLite libraries 41/47

42 OSGeo's Structure Charter Members vote Board of 9 Directors and President Officers Officers 25 Officers represent Committees Committees Committees Committees Committees Committees Local Local Chapters Chapters 104 Charter Members elected by Membership Local Local Chapters Foundation Chapters Projects Sponsors 42/47

43 OSGeo Sponsors Sustain the organization Have priority access to conferences and events Have executive and expert contacts 43/47

44 Outlook Support the formation of OSGeo Local Chapters Promote OSGeo in education Support code sprints Legal support for software projects...have fun 44/47

45 Most importantly: OSGeo works because you participate in the IT process! Participation includes using, learning and then contributing back to the community Open Source is a safe IT investment. 45/47

46 Thank you for your Attention! With friendly support by: The annual Conference on Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial Copyright: Arnulf Christl, metaspatial. This slide set is copyrighted to the commons 46/47

47 References OSGeo Foundation website: Wiki: OSGeo Mailing lists: OSGeo Incubation: Support OSGeo: Open Source: by Karl Fogel OGC standards: metaspatial consulting: A note on Copyright: This presentation is available for download at 47/47