[OSGeo-Discuss] scale of FOSS projects

[Miles Fidelman]

P Kishor wrote:
> On 5/8/08, Schuyler Erle <schuyler at nocat.net> wrote:
>> One important point that Fogel makes that I think is worth noting here
>>  is that the number-one sine-qua-non of *any* potentially successful
>>  software project is *shipping working code*.
>>
>>  Until a developer does that, the discussion of whether or not his/her
>>  project needs or deserves institutional/organizational support to
>>  succeed further is moot.
>>     
>
> Steve Coast (OSM) echoed the same sentiment very elegantly -- "Real
> artists ship. For everyone else, there is wanking."
>
> After a short hesitation, I have really come to appreciate it. Yup,
> unless there is working code, everything else -- sponsorships,
> organization, standards, committees, mailing lists -- is pointless.
>   
Always one to provide a contrarian view, I've always felt that it always 
helps to start with a problem that's worth solving (speaking as an 
engineer), or something interesting to explore (from a scientific point 
of view).  From there, funding, equipment, and a good team of people are 
good next steps.  With rare exception (there are geniuses among us), 
it's pretty hard for one person to accomplish all that much, in a short 
amount of time, in odd hours outside their day job.  At least none of 
the interesting projects I've been involved with required at least 6 
months of full-time work show initial results - not a part-time 
endeavor.  Mind you, I'm a systems engineer and project manager by trade 
- it's been a long time since I've been involved in a project that 
didn't have at least a small team, working a hard problem, over an 
extended amount of time.

Ok, you can shoot at me now :-)

Miles

-- 
Miles R. Fidelman, Director of Government Programs
Traverse Technologies 
145 Tremont Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA  02111
mfidelman at traversetechnologies.com
617-395-8254
www.traversetechnologies.com