The document discusses Open Source software development. It describes how Open Source projects are developed through collaboration on the internet, with code hosted publicly and improvements proposed by participants. Quality is improved as bugs are quickly fixed by multiple reviewers. The OSGeo Foundation is mentioned as supporting quality Open Source geospatial software projects through infrastructure, legal support, and promotion. Projects go through an incubation process to prove they meet standards for quality Open Source software.

1. ?
"By submitting User Submissions to the Service, you
Open Source
give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide,
royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce,
adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform,
publicly display, distribute, and create derivative works
of the User Submission.“
http://www.google.com/mapmaker/mapfiles/s/terms_mapmaker.html
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2. Open Source as a an attitude and the approach of
OSGeo
Open Source
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Franz-Josef 18 July 2012
Behr UTM, Johor Bahre
Partlially based on a presentation of
Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart Arnulf Christl, OSGeo President
Stuttgart University of Applied
Sciences http://www.metaspatial.net
2
Stuttgart Active Alumni Group

3. Agenda
 My personal history
 Software Development
Open Source
 Comparing Open Source and Proprietary
 Technological aspects
 Free Software Licenses
 The approach of SOGe
3

4. My personal history
 Academian
 12 years of (closed) GIS business
Open Source
– IBM GFIS
– MapInfo
– Municipalitiies, utility sector
 Professor
 Involved in some (own) open source projects
– SUAS MapServer
– Opengeocoding.org
– http://www.opencts.org/ (see also http://geowen.hft-stuttgart.de/)
4

5. Software Development
Problem is identified
Software development
Open Source
team
Solves the problem
Software users have new
requirements, find bugs
Code is improved
new version is released
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6. Proprietary vs Open Source
Proprietary motivation: Make Money Open Source motivation: Solve
Problem
Market analysis Problem is identified
Development team Software development
Open Source
team
develops software
beta version release Goal: Solve problem
for beta tester
beta tester reports errors to
development team
development team Internet as communication pool
reproduces the error and distribution media
Participators propose new
development team reports
features & find bugs
to the product management
development team solves Improved code is
problem after OK from pm published on the Web
Goal: Sell licenses Product launch new version is released
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7. Proprietary Business Model
Proprietary motivation: Make Money  Primary Motivation:
 Having monetary success
Market analysis
Primary Task:
Development team
Open Source
develops software
 Marketing of differentiation
beta version release Associated
Black
Black
for beta tester
beta tester reports errors to
development team
Business Model:
 Restriction of distribution
channels
development team
Box
Box
reproduces the error
development team reports
to the product management
development team solves
problem after OK from pm
Goal: Sell licenses Product launch
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8. Open Source Business Model
Open Source motivation: Solve
Problem
 Primary Motivation:
Problem is identified
 Solve problems
Software development
Open Source
Primary Task: team
 Professional software Goal: Solve problem
development, optimal problem
solution, sharing the code
Associated
Business Model: Internet as communication pool
and distribution media
 Openness Participators propose new
 Services, support features & find bugs
 Sponsored development and Improved code is
adaption published on the Web
 Training new version is released
8  Distribution channel: Internet

9. Open Source
How can this be feasible?
9

10. Overall Revenue in IT
Open Source
Less than 10% of revenue in
IT is generated through selling
software usage licenses.
(i.e. by restricting copying)
I.e. 90%: other services
10
Read http://arnulf.us/Cadastre for more details.

11. Idea of problem solving
Open Source
Feed back from Open Source Release (publish)
the users Project the Source Code!
Download, installation, Usage
Iterate…
11

12. Open Source Development
Source Code contains all functionality (and only Source Code can be modified).
Open Source
 Public access to code improves the quality
 Typically bugs are fixed faster
 Often more secure due to multiple scrutiny
 Innovation is easier – and...
 Users have full control about what they get
 ...and many more advantages.
Read http://producingoss.org by Karl Fogel for details
12

13. Is this Open Source?
Open Source
13

14. Open Source
Open Source Development: The
OpenLayers Example
14

15. Groups involved
 Users
 Mailing lists participants
Open Source
 Registered developers (contributors)
 Project Steering Committee (7 members,
http://trac.openlayers.org/wiki/SteeringCommitteeMembers)
 Committee Chair
– facilitates discussion of proposals, responsible for memberships of the Project
Steering Committee.
– adjudication in cases of disputes about voting.
 Democratic process: Addition and removal of members from the committee, as
well as selection of a Chair should be handled as a proposal to the committee.
15

16. Development Process
Clear and sound development rules:
Open Source
1. Proposals  OpenLayers dev mailing list  discussion and voting, for at least two
business days.
2. Voting:
1. "+1“: indicating support for the proposal and a willingness to support
implementation.
2. "-1“: to veto a proposal, but must provide clear reasoning and alternate approaches
to resolving the problem
3. “-0”: indicates mild disagreement, but no effect; “0”: no opinion, “+0”: mild
support, but no effect.
3. Members of the Project Steering Committee's votes will be counted.
4. Acceptance: +2 (including the proposer), no vetos (-1).
5. Veto  can be resubmitted for an override vote.
16

17. Open Source developers
Open Source
(as well as often Closed Source Developers)
use Open Source.
17

18. Versioning and tracking
 Code and content: in the OpenLayers Subversion (SVN) repository,
http://svn.openlayers.org/
 enabling worldwide development
Open Source
 Project management using trac
– tracking system for bugs, feature requests, version
management etc (“tickets“)
– interface to Subversion
– allows wiki-like markup in descriptions and messages, creating
links and seamless references between bugs, tasks,files and wiki
pages.
– timeline gives historic view of the project,
18

19. OpenLayers Subversion System
 a version control system (successor
of CVS)
Open Source
 trunk: current version of project
 branches: copies of original source
 tags: copies without modifications
 sandbox: „playground“ for single
developers
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subversion_%28software%29

20. Tracking system
Open Source
20

21. Testing Methodology
 Test.AnotherWay-
Framework
 more than 2100
Open Source
automated tests
(http://openlayers.org/blog/2007/08/23/a
utomated-testing/)
21
http://openlayers.org/dev/tests/run-tests.html

22. Open Source Business
Consulting
Maintain specific distribution
Open Source
Training Implementation
Support
bug fixing
Improve Software
Service Level
Maintenance
Agreement
22
But: Highly Competitive because no
Monopolies!

23. Open Source
Back to Closed Source
23

24. Proprietary Licenses
You are not allowed to copy
You are not allowed to modify
Open Source
 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...
Today we can see a revival in the Terms of Services!
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i.e. Google Map’s Terms of Service
2011 Cambridge Conference

25. The mental barrier: Copying is not Theft
 There is a big difference between material theft and digital copying.
– We have difficulties understanding this because we are physical
Open Source
beings.
 But our Mind is not entirely material. So we should be able to understand
Why are there many prohibiting licenses?
.
 Because re-selling the same thing over and over again is highly profitable
and it scales!
 The manufacturing costs (i.e. Copying) are marginal.
25

26. Open Source
 Copying open source
code is not plagiarism.
 Open Code is licensed.
26

27. Free Software Licensing
 Free Software Licensing: Not as in "free beer"
but as in free speech
Open Source
 You are free to:
– use it anywhere for any purpose
– understand and improve it
– adjust it to suit your needs
– collaborate with anybody else d!
nt ee
[http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html]
ara
Gu
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http://www.fsf.org/

28. Free Software Licensing
 Free Software is a legal licensing model (attention: something like a
vaccine) protecting your interests.
Open Source
 The opposite is proprietary software (also 'closed' or 'privative').
Nota bene:
"commercial software" is a frequently used misnomer.
28

29. Summarizing Open Source Development
 Open Source might be a superior development model
Open Source
 The big business has recognized this long ago and provides full Open
Source services
– IBM: Eclipse, Linux
– Apache HTTP Server (and many other packages)
– Many networking software packages
 Software vendors adopt Open Source in geospatial including Autodesk,
Oracle, and many others. Many companies nowadays recognizes that
Open Source works.
29

30. Using Open Source?
 Yes, … but:
Open Source
 Anybody can call anything "Open
Source"
 And a name does not garantuee
30
automaticallybetter software!

31. The Web – Knowledge Base
ntu GIS
Ubu we et
The largest open
codehouse
T
Open Source
source development
site SourceForge
GIS
Blogs
rce
hosts hundreds of
thousands of software
So u
pen
projects
of O FreeGIS.org
St ate
T he OpenSo
urceGIS
.or g
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32. Quality Open Source
Open Source Geospatial Foundation
Open Source
Your Open Source Compass
...organizes spatial IT
http://www.osgeo.org
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33. The OSGeo Foundation
 OSGeo is a global non-profit organization founded in February 2006
 Leading voice for
Open Source
Geospatial Open Source
 Structure similar to the Apache Foundation
 Volunteer based
 Funded by sponsorship
33

34. OSGeo's Mission
Open Source
Support and promote
the highest quality
Open Source
Geospatial Software
34

35. OSGeo's Goals
 Provide resources for FOSS4G projects:
– Infrastructure
Open Source
– Legal frame
– Financial support
 Promote free and open spatial data
 Create and maintain a quality brand
 Create and promote free curriculum
 Promote and contribute to standards
35

36. OSGeo Activities
 On a global scale:
– Provide mature software solutions
Open Source
– Support FOSS4G, an international open source conference for
geospatial application
 Support local activities and capacities
– Local open source conference for geospatial application (i.e. FOSS4G-
SEA)
– Local chapters (soon Malaysia)
 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»
 ...
36

37. Formal Structure
Charter Members vote
Board of 9 Directors
and President Officers
Officers
25 Officers
Executive appoints
Open Source
Director
represent
Committees
Committees Local
Committees Local
Local Foundation
Chapters
Local Chapters
Local
Chapters Projects
Chapters
Chapters
91 Charter Members elected by Membership Sponsors
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38. Committees
Charter Members vote
Board of 9 Directors
and President Officers
Officers
25 Officers
Executive appoints
Open Source
Director
represent
Committees
Committees Local
Committees Local
Local Foundation
Chapters
Local Chapters
Local
Chapters Projects
Chapters
Chapters
91 Charter Members elected by Membership Sponsors
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39. Committees
Incubation Education Geodata
Open Source
Website Conference Journal
Sysadmin Marketing other...
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40. Committees
 Commitees self organize.
 Based on volunteer work.
Open Source
 Open communication with mailing lists, IRC, meetings, etc.
 Anybody is welcome to join and
 actively participate in all processes.
40

41. Incubation Committee
Incubation Education Geodata
Open Source
Website Conference Journal
Sysadmin Marketing other...
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42. Incubation Process
 Projects can apply for inspection by the OSGeo Incubation Committee.
 Project have to abide by OSGeo rules and satisfy a catalog of criteria
Open Source
 OSGeo graduation is a proof of quality
42

43. Quality Control
 What is inspected?
 Copyright, licenses, ownership
Open Source
 Development process quality
 Documentation, tutorials, support
 Community functioning
 ...
More details are available on the Web:
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Incubation
43

44. Software
Charter Members vote
Board of 9 Directors
and President Officers
Officers
25 Officers
Executive appoints
Open Source
Director
represent
Committees
Committees Local
Committees Local
Local Foundation
Chapters
Local Chapters
Local
Chapters Projects
Chapters
Chapters
91 Charter Members elected by Membership Sponsors
44

45. OSGeo Projects '09
UMN Quantum
Mapbender OSSIM
Mapserver GIS
GRASS
Open Source
Map Guide gvSIG
MapBuilder GIS
OS
desktop GIS
OpenLayers deegree
FDO GDAL/OGR
GeoServer web mapping
GEOS GeoTools
GeoNetwork MetaCRS PostGIS
Project
45
in incubation metadata libraries

46. OSGeo Live DVD
Desktop GIS
web mapping Quantum GIS
Quantum GIS
OSSIM
UMN MapServer
GRASS GIS uDig
MapServer Mapnik Geopublisher
Open Source
gvSIG
deegree
GeoMajas KOSMO
deegree GIS
ZOO Project
OpenStreetMap
MapFish GMT
MapGuide OS GDAL/OGR
FDO
OpenLayers GeoKettle
GeoServer
Mapbender GeoTools GEOS
PostGIS
GeoNetwork MetaCRS
Viking
Application
46 SpatialLite
Server Libraries
Metadata

47. Sponsors
Charter Members vote
Board of 9 Directors
and President Officers
Officers
25 Officers
Executive appoints
Open Source
Director
represent
Committees
Committees Local
Committees Local
Local Foundation
Chapters
Local Chapters
Local
Chapters Projects
Chapters
Chapters
91 Charter Members elected by Membership Sponsors
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48. Sponsor Benefits
 Foundation Sponsorship
– Help sustain the organization
Open Source
– Priority Access to Conferences and Events
– Executive and Expert Contacts
 Project Sponsorship
– Fund specific functionality
– Priority Bug Fixing
– Influence future development
48

49. Outlook
 Foster and support localization of OSGeo software and groups (Local Chapters)
 Promote OSGeo & FOSS4G to universities and education
 Organize code sprints (which typically self organize)
Open Source
 Legal support for software projects
 Have fun
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50. Conclusions
 Open Source is an inner habit and conviction.
Open Source
 OSGeo
– supports Free and Open Source geopatial Software
– is roof and umbrella for projects and communities
– is a platform, to create and share software, information and know-
how
 You can profit from this community simply by participating
50

51. Open Source (and OSGeo) work because you participate
in the IT process!
Open Source
Participation includes
using,
learning and then
contributing back to the communit.
And: Open Source makes IT a safer investment.
51

52. Open Source
Thank you for
your Attention
52

53. References
 OSGeo Foundation website: http://www.osgeo.org
 Wiki: http://wiki.osgeo.org
Open Source
 OSGeo Mailing lists: http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/
 OSGeo Incubation: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Incubation
 Support OSGeo: http://www.osgeo.org/sponsorship
 Open Source: http://producingoss.org by Karl Fogel
 OGC standards: http://www.opengeospatial.org
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