[OSGeo-Discuss] [Incubator] Should OSGeo accept "benevolent dictator" projects into OSGeo?

[Margherita Di Leo]

Hi,

On Sun, May 1, 2016 at 9:48 PM, Hogan, Patrick (ARC-PX) <
patrick.hogan at nasa.gov> wrote:

> Jody,
>
>
>
> Despite the infinite respect I have for your opinion and the Boundless
> organization, sincerely, I couldn’t more heartily disagree. At least I
> think I am disagreeing.
>
>
>
> Open source is open source, there are many flavors, each one serving
> different tastes, and each with different paths if nirvana is to be
> experienced, or at least attempted.
>
>
>
> But open source is open source and geospatial is geospatial. Aren’t people
> free to take ‘benevolent dictator’ code and branch it to their interests?
> For certain projects to mature, they need to be spared the collective
> collaboration that also introduces the chaos of community. One size does
> not fit all at all stages of development.
>
>
>
> Copyleft, at the more ‘pure’ end of open source, seems far more ‘prickly’
> in terms of ongoing usability than benevolent dictator. Yet one might
> consider Copyleft the ‘true god’ of open source to some. I am more profane
> on the subject.
>
>
>
> OSGeo might want to rise to the occasion of a ‘big tent’ versus. . .
>
>
>
> IANAL, I am not a lawyer, nor a doctor for that matter. ;-)
>
> This world needs all the open source solutions it can get, from copyleft
> to benevolent dictator.
>
> -Patrick
>
>
>
I tend to agree with Patrick's position. I think what matters in the end is
the license the code is released, as long as forking is allowed, whether is
a committee or a single person taking decisions about developing may lead
or may not to a successful project according to several factors, one being
the leader, but also the quality of the product, the competitors on the
market and so on.. there are so many variables involved, that excluding a
project only based on that seems to me a little shortsighted (no offense
intended). Also, wording is important! no one loves dictators!! But
everyone love people who take responsibility and accountability for their
job.

My two cents

-- 
Margherita Di Leo
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