If you have big commercial customers I'd approach them. If they're heavily invested in your software then they could see the value potentially.
I understand what you're saying tho. Most of the organically-grown projects are those that started as open source and don't compare well to closed2open conversions. On 11/3/09, Cameron Shorter <cameron.shor...@gmail.com> wrote: > Puneet, > I don't have a specific answer for "How Much LISAsoft's OpenLS code > costs to Open Source" yet, I'd need to do the analysis, and so I'll talk > in general terms, based on my experience with other projects. > > 1. For LISAsoft, "Just dumping code into Sourceforge" is usually not an > option. Our reputation is based upon our understanding of Open Source > and producing quality software, and it would be detrimental to our > image, and hence our future job prospects to do a poor job. > > 2. For simple projects, Open Sourcing can easily at least a few weeks, > to put processes and web sites in place. But the bigger cost is growing > and supporting the community, maybe one person day per week, for the > rest of the year. I heard that Autodesk decided to provide a major > re-write of their MapGuide Open Source software before Open Sourcing, > which would likely have cost them man months, probably man years. > > 3. Yes, LISAsoft will miss out on opportunity costs because we derive > commercial advantage by owning an OpenLS codebase. > > At the end of the day, our decision will be financial. Can we make more > money by Open Sourcing or not. At LISAsoft we support both Open and > Closed source business models, depending on which makes better business > sense. > > P Kishor wrote: >> On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 8:49 AM, Daniel Morissette >> <dmorisse...@mapgears.com> wrote: >> >>> P Kishor wrote: >>> >>>> On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 3:47 AM, Cameron Shorter >>>> <cameron.shor...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> P Kishor wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 1:26 PM, Cameron Shorter >>>>>> <cameron.shor...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> David, >>>>>>> LISAsoft has a java implementation of OpenLS which we would like to >>>>>>> Open >>>>>>> Source if we can find a sponsor to cover our packaging costs. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> What kind of costs are "packaging costs," and what do they amount to >>>>>> generally, and for OpenLS, more specifically? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> P Kishor, >>>>> As you are probably aware, just dumping code into sourceforge is not an >>>>> effective way to start a successful Open Source project. >>>>> There needs to be suitable technical documentation, development >>>>> processes >>>>> documentation, web pages set up, issue trackers put in place, access >>>>> writes >>>>> granted to developers, and then have at least one champion sit on email >>>>> lists supporting new users. >>>>> That is what I consider "packaging costs". >>>>> >>>> The above makes sense, but honestly, I had never heard of this until >>>> now, and I have been tinkering with open source for almost a decade >>>> now. Most open source projects seemed organic to me. Someone had an >>>> itch, they scratched it, they put it out, and the project either >>>> gathered traction, or it died. Seems like my scholarship of open >>>> source has been lacking in this aspect hugely. >>>> >>>> >>> Hi Puneet, >>> >>> I have to run now, so I don't have time for a long answer, but I just >>> wanted >>> to add that Cameron is right... unfortunately it's not as simple as >>> setting >>> up a project on sourceforge even if it may seem to be that way from the >>> user's perspective. >>> >>> I have been through the process of open sourcing projects several times >>> over >>> the last 10 years, and did it again a few weeks ago with the GeoPrisma >>> launch. I think we are getting better at it as we gain experience, and >>> can >>> confirm that those packaging costs and planning requirements are real and >>> need to be taken into account for a successful project launch. Another >>> aspect to consider that I don't think was mentioned is to balance the >>> pros >>> and cons of open sourcing and not doing it on your own business and on >>> the >>> project/product itself. >>> >>> >> >> Based on Daniel's response, a thought occurred to me -- my inquiry in >> this thread might be seen as an "attack" on the concept of packaging >> costs. I want to put this disclaimer forward, even though I thought I >> had made my intentions clear in my first email -- I am not at all >> antagonistic or in any way attacking the concept of packaging costs in >> general or LISASoft in particular. I am merely curious. I had never >> heard of packaging costs until this thread, so obviously, my >> scholarship of open source, particularly its economics and motivation, >> has been seriously lacking, and I need to correct it. And, what better >> way to do that than to ask the person who is asking for packaging >> costs in the first place. >> >> 1. How much are we talking about here? >> >> 2. Of course, any price is worth it if someone is willing to pay it, >> but how to determine if the amount being asked in #1 above is >> commensurate with the value of the product being considered, and is in >> line with the value of similar products? >> >> 3. If no one comes up with the packaging costs, would you not put it >> into open source, or would you still put it, but just "dump the code >> into sourceforge" and let Darwin take care of it? >> >> 4. If you do put it in open source without any packaging costs being >> paid to you, would you be losing out on any particular revenue other >> than the time spent to put it into open source? >> >> >> >>> Daniel >>> -- >>> Daniel Morissette >>> http://www.mapgears.com/ >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > -- > Cameron Shorter > Geospatial Systems Architect > Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050 > Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254 > > Think Globally, Fix Locally > Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source > http://www.lisasoft.com > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > -- Sent from my mobile device _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss