[OSGeo-Discuss] Commercial Support for the OSGeo Stack

[Frank Warmerdam]

Cameron Shorter wrote:
> Why pay for support?
> 
> OSGeo projects have a community of people providing extensive support 
> via email lists and IRC for free! And while developers may accept 
> payment for their advice, many have also stated their intent to continue 
> providing feel support. So why pay?

Cameron,

I wonder who it is that intends to continue providing free support!
In my experience free support quality is highly variable.  I, for one,
am reasonable interested in requests that I think will lead to bug
fixes, but less interested in unfunded hand holding.

I'm completely in agreement with the thrust of your article, and it's
timing coincides nicely with "populate phase" of the OSGeo Service
Provider Directory which I mention in another thread.

I think that building a strong ecology of consultants, contract developers
and support organizations is important to the success of open source in the
geospatial realm.  I really noticed this at FOSS4G last year.  Lots of folks
coming to me with the question "who can I pay to help me with technology xyz?"

Having a good answer makes it much easier for organizations to deploy the
technology.  And building an environment where we can make a living off
providing support services of various kinds takes (some of us) to the point
where this can be our lifes work, instead of a sideline or hobby.

Best regards,
-- 
---------------------------------------+--------------------------------------
I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org