open source at the bbc: when, why, why not & how
DESCRIPTION
This talk was given at Linux World 2006. It covers 3 aspects of open source at the BBC - use, extension & origination through the 4 lenses of when, why, why not & how. It focusses entirely on pragmatics in all cases. The style is Lessig style. A write up on the text can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/yd4j2yTRANSCRIPT
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Michael SparksSenior Research Engineer
BBC Research
[email protected] World London 2006
Open Sourceat the BBC
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
CurrentlySenior Research Engineer
BBC Research
PreviouslySoftware engineer and networkengineer at a mixture of public
and private companies
This talk is based on experienceof both public and private
company usage ofopen source
Who am I?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
This talk will be summarised as a text
document and go online Friday, after
Linux World is over, and be linked from
the Kamaelia website
(hence link & contact details at the bottom of every page!)
This talk
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Themes forthis talk
Whynot
How
Why
When
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Use
Context
Improve
Originate
Overview
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Uses & createsopen source software
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Uses & createsProprietary Systems
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why?Good business and
public service reasons
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
TerminologyFree/Libre, Open Source Software
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
TerminologyOpen Source:
Focus on approach... ...not politics
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Use
Collaboratively Improve
Originate
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Obvious Question:Why use open
source?
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
No specific policy for or against
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Tools are evaluated on their merits
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Adaptability to the business is a merit
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Better Question:Why avoid open source software?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Would you ask:Why avoid
proprietary software?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Would you ask:Why avoid
proprietary software? Ok, some at this conference yes,but generally speaking it would
be taken as a given
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
To avoid open source solutions ...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
... would limit the BBC's choices
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
.. cuts you off from useful technologies
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
.. cuts you off from community
developments
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
... would avoiding Apple & even some Microsoft products
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
... would avoiding Apple & even some Microsoft products
Since even these suppliers have some usefulsoftware which either are or or based on open source.
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Open source software is difficult to avoid
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When to evaluate using an open source
solution?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When you are looking for a new solution
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When you are looking for a new solution... alongside anyother solutions
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Because it provides for the business need in the appropriate way
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why not use an open source solution?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If it does not provide for the business need in the appropriately
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
How to use an open source solution?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Same way as aproprietary solution
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
How does the BBC use open source?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
How does the BBC use open source?
Some highlights
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Network InfrastructureApache, Perl, Python,
MySQL, Linux
Proprietary systems are also used here
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Desktop ApplicationsFirefox
Open Office(in some areas)
Proprietary systems are much more widely used here
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
DesktopsMac OS X
Linux(in BBC Research)
Microsoft Windows is the dominant desktop OS at present
The BBC...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Adaptability
StabilitySecurity
MaintainabilityStandards
Market Expertise
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
We're talking about contributing back
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
You have a problem not seen before
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
By contributing back you reduce your
maintenance burden
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
... and encourage others to do the same
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Code is the most obvious contribution
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Bug fixes are the most welcome contribution
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
A bug report is contributing back
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Intelligent questions can lead to improved
documentation
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Talking about usage is contributing back
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why does the BBC contribute back?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why does the BBC contribute back?
Perhaps not as often as it would like
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
For all the previous reasons, but also a
special one
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Open source is very similar to traditional
standardisation
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Any interested and capable party is
welcome to participate
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Long standing tradition of working in
standards bodies
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
May contribute to any existing project where
it benefits the BBC
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When to contribute to an open source
project?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When you have solved a problem or need to solve one
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why contribute back to an open source
solution?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Because it helps the product get better,
which in turn makes it more valuable to you
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why not contribute back to an open source project?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When doing so may reveal business or
personal confidential information
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
How to contribute back to an open source project?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Contribute repeatable, clear,
focussed bug reports
..without expectations
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Contribute clear, focussed bug fixes
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Make them focussedFollow project culture
Make them easy to applyMake them relevant
Include docs
If you don't know how, askotheriwise you will look stupid
bug fixes
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Make them focussedFollow project culture
Make them easy to applyMake them relevant
Include docs
If you do it right, your company will be respected
bug fixes
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Note: Open source is a meritocracy – conceptual
contributions are more important than money
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Bluntly:
Start talking about money, and you will often alienate
developers
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Bluntly:
Start talking about money, and you will often alienate
developers
even if the work done is often priceless...
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If you've never done this, liase through an open
source consultancy
Tip:
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
We're talking about new open source
projects from the BBC
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Not your core business,not a saleable product
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Standards development, encouragement
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Will be developed anyway
A key one:
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Will be developed anyway
eg: in house tools
A key one:
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Will be developed anyway
no feedback == no lossany feedback == benefit
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Will be developed anyway
less obvious: increase market sector viability
for your business
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Will be developed anyway
less obvious: increase market sector viability
for your businesseg, email, web, the internet as a whole
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Does not host BBC open source projects
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Only contains pointers to the projects
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Once you release the code, you are no
longer in control of that code
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Community hosting makes it clear the
code is community owned
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
What has the BBC originated as open
source projects?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Kamaelia, Dirac, TVAnytime API, Betsie, Media Dispatch, MXF File Test Engine, Video
Shot Change Detector, Media Lounge, Pony, 2
Apache Modules, 10 CPAN Modules, BAP Tools, ID3v2 Chapter tools, Flash tools,
AFFEditPack, ....
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Dirac
To develop a royalty free video codec for online and
offline delivery
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Dirac
Benefits of release include:Community collaboration,
peer review, and critique by peers for standardisation
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Dirac
Downside of release includes:People viewing release of
Dirac as entering direct competition with suppliers
Release enables collaboration
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Kamaelia
Original aim: to develop tools for scalable long term online delivery of all BBC content
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Kamaelia
Community collaboration is evolving the system into a
general purpose multimedia toolkit
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Kamaelia
Revised high level BBC aims: To do for software systems what IKEA has
done for furniture, and spreadsheets have done for traditional business
but for the BBC's business ofstorytelling and distribution
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Kamaelia
Benefits of release include: Peer review; a much more
general purpose and hence more generally useful system,and dissemination from R&D
dept into the business
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Appropriate Licensing
Both preceding use the “Mozilla TriLicense”, why?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
MPL – explicit patent grant
GPL – most widely used licenseLGPL – most appropriate for a
library
For prior 2 projects interoperation on all 3 levels
has been impotant
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When to originate an open source project?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When you have software developed
inhouse as an overhead not as
product
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why originate an open source project?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When you have aninhouse tool that you
think others will find useful
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When it will benefit your market sector
making it more attractive & viable
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Communities of companies can generate wealthfor all concerned
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
To gain competitive advantage –
consumers prefer open platforms
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Why not originate an open source project?
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When you gainreal competitive
advantage by not doing so
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
When that software is all you sell
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If you're not prepared to accept community
contributions
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If you're not willing to risk letting go of control of the
codebase
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If your code contains secrets of any kind
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
How to originate an open source project
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Create a project on an independent
hosting site
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
SourceforgeGoogle Code
Berliosetc
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Choose a license and understand its implications
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
GeneralAnnouncementsVersion control
commits
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Create a project bloguse it when anything
notable happens
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Create a project bloguse it when anything
notable happens
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Focus on the code in any release announcement,
not on you
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Don't expect instantaneous success
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Read how others have done it“Cathedral & Bazaar”
“Producing Open Source Software”
“Hackers & Painters”
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Don't expect instantaneous success
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
This talk was titled “open source at the BBC”
Proprietary software is as widely if not more widely
used inside the BBC
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If you want to use proprietary software the
business world is geared up to help you.
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If you want to improve proprietary software the
traditional way is to start a new business
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
If you want to create proprietary software you
do the same thing
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
In either case, evaluate each based on their merits
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
Private businesses havethe option of ideology
as a merit
Public services do not
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Michael Sparks, [email protected], http://kamaelia.sf.net/Kamaelia
More information:
BBC OSS FAQs:http://tinyurl.com/yjyx83
Joel on Software – Strategy Letter Vhttp://tinyurl.com/4haso
Cathedral & Bazaarhttp://tinyurl.com/3ald3
This talk will be summarised on my blog:http://yeoldeclue.com/blog