[Incubator] Fwd: GisClient OS Project Application

Wed Nov 28 13:51:40 PST 2012

Meant to reply to the list with the e-mail below.

Landon

On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 8:44 AM, Landon Blake
<sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com> wrote:
> I can follow up with the project to see if I can gauge the size of the
> user community. Sounds like they are going to be on a waiting list for
> a mentor.
>
> Landon
>
> On Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 8:48 PM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com> wrote:
>> May want to ask on the italian osgeo email list, it could be that we are
>> just out of the loop on this one.
>>
>> (As an example the i3geo project is massive, just not on english speaking
>> lists)
>>
>> --
>> Jody Garnett
>>
>> On Monday, 19 November 2012 at 5:04 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>
>> My feeling so far is that GISClient isn't ready yet to become an OSGeo
>> project due to the current immaturity of the community behind this project.
>>
>> One of the issues that the web portal projects are facing is that there
>> is a number of projects all competing for the same sponsors and developers.
>>
>> I'd encourage the GISClient project to follow the steps involved in
>> going through incubation (which is good software management practices
>> anyway), and work on building community. One way to build community is
>> to consider consolidating with other GIS Portal projects.
>>
>> On 17/11/2012 11:40 AM, Landon Blake wrote:
>>
>> Here are my responses to questions/comments from Jody on the GISClient
>> incubation application.
>>
>> Landon
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Landon Blake <sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com>
>> Date: Fri, Nov 16, 2012 at 3:14 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Incubator] GisClient OS Project Application
>> To: Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>>
>>
>> Jody wrote: "Is the second company committing (or just using the project)?"
>>
>> I believe the second company is committing, so they pass the bar in this
>> regard.
>>
>> What is the next step for GISClient?
>>
>> Good to hear about GeoServer. I will check in with that project in a
>> separate thread.
>>
>> Landon
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 16, 2012 at 2:33 PM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> --
>> Jody Garnett
>>
>> On Saturday, 17 November 2012 at 4:12 AM, Landon Blake wrote:
>>
>> I completed my initial review of the GISClient incubation application
>> today (a little behind schedule).
>>
>> I wanted to provide the rest of the Incubation Committee with my few
>> review comments:
>>
>> 1) I'm not much of a web programmer, although I do tinker with
>> OpenLayers. So I'm a little unclear as to the purpose of the project.
>> Here is how the application describes it:
>>
>> GisClient3 is an open source software written in AJAX, Javascript,
>> PHP/MapScript that allows to configure a range of tools and
>> functionalities easily and quickly. It works as a web authoring tool
>> configurator for MapServer and enables to both build up Mapfiles and
>> provide OpenLayers maps.
>>
>> Does that make sense to any of you?
>>
>> So I would assume it is a "higher level turn-key" solution similar to
>> MapFish, Geomajas and others.
>> One of the advantages of MapGuide OpenSource is they offer this kind of "end
>> to end" solution.
>>
>> We have a number of projects in this space - the more the merrier.
>>
>> 2) The project seems to have originated with one business in Italy,
>> although it is now being used by a second Italian company. The
>> application sttes there are no patent or copyright issues, so this
>> shouldn't be a big concern. But it seems this is definitely a project
>> being sponsored by companies more than by individial developers.
>>
>> So it may need to hang out in GeoLabs and work on community building. We do
>> our best
>> to only accept projects when they have a broader base of developers.
>>
>> We have done a minimum of two (for an established project).
>>
>> Is the second company committing (or just using the project)?
>>
>> 3) The user and developer base seems to be focused in Italy. It would
>> seem reasonable that one goal of incubation would be to widen this
>> user/developer base.
>>
>> May not actually be a concern, i3Geo is very large project that has thus far
>> been limited
>> to one region.
>>
>> So the concern is more about bus number, and less about Italy.
>>
>> 4) The project is currently unit testing/software testing. This is
>> also something we should encourage during incubation.
>>
>> Cameron would like to encourage QA, and it does appear on our checklist.
>> Right now we are only asking projects to document the QA procedures that
>> they
>> currently perform (as way of encouragement - and warning for any developers
>> considering involvement).
>>
>> I think the next step will be point out that projects without testing/unit
>> testing
>> fail to attack trust, and fail to attract developers. Simply because they
>> are more
>> expensive to modify as community.
>>
>> Consider this an advocacy thing - that goes beyond our limited ("sanity
>> check" mandate).
>>
>> If we decide to accept the application, do we have a mentor available?
>> I can mentor the project (there isn't much happening with Geoserver
>> right now), but it would be better to get a mentor with more web
>> development experience.
>>
>> We have a one project per mentor limit - to avoid burning people out :-)
>>
>> And if you look, *everything* happened with GeoServer yesterday at a code
>> sprint!
>>
>> Jody
>>
>>
>> Let me know what you think.
>>
>> Landon
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 4:00 PM, Landon Blake
>> <sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I'll try to take a look at the application on my lunch break tomorrow,
>> and will let you guys know if I see anything out of order.
>>
>> I'll send a short e-mail to the project to let them know that we
>> received the application and are currently reviewing it.
>>
>> Landon
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 2:33 PM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> It would be nice to say hello, but yeah our email list here should look over
>> the application.
>>
>> --
>> Jody Garnett
>>
>> On Tuesday, 13 November 2012 at 2:55 AM, Landon Blake wrote:
>>
>> Any objections if I review the application and establish communication
>> with the project?
>>
>> Landon
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 8:29 AM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> This is in part why I want to revise our procedure; so we respond to
>> projects when they apply.
>>
>> As it is the first move we make is when we have a mentor available.
>>
>> --
>> Jody Garnett
>>
>> On Tuesday, 13 November 2012 at 2:25 AM, Landon Blake wrote:
>>
>> Jody,
>>
>> I'm just catching up on my e-mails. Do we need someone to review this
>> application?
>>
>> Landon
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 24, 2012 at 1:38 AM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> The following application was mentioned in our last meeting, but not
>> discussed.
>>
>> Application here: http://trac.osgeo.org/osgeo/ticket/910 GisClient OS
>> Project submssion to the OsGeo Incubator Committee
>>
>> The actual application is supplied as an ODT file:
>> -
>> http://trac.osgeo.org/osgeo/raw-attachment/ticket/910/GisClient%20for%20OsGeo.odt
>>
>> In the interests of getting things moving I have copied the text after the
>> break...
>> --
>> Jody Garnett
>>
>> GisClient Incubator Application Questionnaire
>>
>>
>>
>> 1. Please provide the name and email address of the principal Project Owner.
>>
>> Project name: GisClient
>>
>> website: www.gisclient.org
>>
>> Project Owner: Roberto Starnini
>>
>> Project Contact: roberto.starnini at gisweb.it
>>
>>
>> 2. Please provide the names and emails of co-project owners (if any).
>>
>> Co-project owner: Francesco D'Alesio
>>
>> Co-project owner contact: francesco at r3-gis.com
>>
>>
>> 3. Please provide the names, emails and entity affiliation of all official
>> committers
>>
>> Roberto Starnini
>>
>> Gis&Web srl
>>
>> Via Gramsci 27/9
>>
>> 16126 Genova
>>
>> www.gisweb.it
>>
>> tel. +39.010.247.44.91
>>
>> fax. +39.010.941.21.32
>>
>> roberto.starnini at gisweb.it
>>
>>
>> Francesco D'Alesio
>>
>> R3-GIS s.r.l.
>>
>>
>> Merano (BZ), Italy
>>
>> www. r3-gis.com
>>
>> Via Johann Kravogl, 2
>>
>> 39012 Merano (BZ)
>>
>> Tel. +39 0473 494949
>>
>> Fax +39 0473 069902
>>
>> francesco at r3-gis.com
>>
>>
>> 4. Please describe your Project.
>>
>> GisClient is a web authoring tool configurator for GIS projects.
>>
>> GisClient3 is an open source software written in AJAX, Javascript,
>> PHP/MapScript that allows to configure a range of tools and functionalities
>> easily and quickly. It works as a web authoring tool configurator for
>> MapServer and enables to both build up Mapfiles and provide OpenLayers maps.
>> Designed for interoperability, GisClient3 publishes data from any major
>> spatial data source using open standards.
>>
>> Improving interoperability among the open source GIS softwares is one of the
>> GisClient aims, that's why at the moment we are working on making GisClient3
>> able to create config files for a wider stack of components and, in
>> addition, we are developing standard interfaces (such as MapContex and
>> OWSContext).
>>
>>
>> 5. Why is hosting at OSGeo good for your project?
>>
>> Being hosted at OSGeo would be good for us, cause we think that would help
>> in spreading out the project on a global scale. Our aim is to involve as
>> many users as possible to try and test GisClient, and possibly find more
>> developers, interested in taking part in the project and collaborate.
>>
>> 6. Type of application does this project represent(client, server,
>> standalone, library, etc.):
>>
>> Server
>>
>>
>> 7. Please describe any relationships to other open source projects.
>>
>> a. GisClient is based on MapServer as map server
>>
>> b. It uses Postgre/PostGis as aDB
>>
>> c. It uses OpenLayers libraries
>>
>>
>>
>> 8. Please describe any relationships with commercial companies or products.
>>
>> Gis&Web s.r.l. is a small Italian company in Genova, Italy. In the last
>> years, most of the GIS products, applications and services offered by Gis
>> &Web have been based on GisClient.
>>
>> Actually GisClient hasn't started as a proper open source project, but as a
>> solution to respond the users needs and expectations. In most cases Gis&Web
>> customers are Municipalities and Local Authorities. They use GisClient as a
>> tool to manage the spatial data they are in charge of collect.
>>
>>
>> In terms of field of applications Local Authorities have been using
>> GisClient in urban planning, land use, tourism and heritage management,
>> mobility management.
>>
>> GisClient has also been applied by the University of Genova to reaserch
>> activities in the environmental monitoring sector, both in marine protected
>> and portual areas.
>>
>>
>> As a commercial product, GisClient it has been used as a tool to manage
>> utilities networs by Iren, an Italian society operating in the sector
>> pertaining to the water cycle and to gas distribution.
>>
>> Not only Gis&Web but also, R3-GIS, an Italian company in Merano, has based
>> most of its commercial offer on GisClient. They developed different web gis
>> products for management of green areas, playgrounds, traffic signs,
>> pipelines and technological networks, environmental monitoring systems, CO2
>> Emission Monitoring Systems, Tourism Portals, etc.
>>
>>
>> 9. Which open source license(s) will the source code be released under?
>>
>> GPL3
>>
>>
>> 10. Is there already a beta or official release?
>>
>> It is. It can be downloaded on www.gisclient.org/download
>>
>> At the moment we are working on user documentation.
>>
>>
>> 11. What is the origin of your project (commercial, experimental, thesis or
>> other higher education, government, or some other source)?
>>
>> Commercial
>>
>>
>> 12. Does the project support open standards?
>>
>> YES
>>
>>
>> 13. Which ones and to what extent? (OGC, w3c, ect.)
>>
>> OGC, W3C and INSPIRE for Metadata
>>
>>
>> 14. Has the software been certified to any standard (CITE for example)?
>>
>> NO
>>
>>
>> 15. If not, is it the intention of the project owners to seek certification
>> at some point?
>>
>> We haven't thought about that yet.
>>
>>
>> 16. Is the code free of patents, trademarks, and do you control the
>> copyright?
>>
>> Yes it is
>>
>>
>> 17. How many people actively contribute (code, documentation, other?) to the
>> project at this time?
>>
>> 5
>>
>>
>> 18. How many people have commit access to the source code respository?
>>
>> 5
>>
>> 19. Approximately how many users are currently using this project?
>>
>> Being a web application, it is not easy to “count” them, but including the
>> ones who use GisClient base web application developed by Gis&Web, Iren and
>> R3-Gis the total amount of users will be more than 500.
>>
>>
>> 20. What type of users does your project attract (government, commercial,
>> hobby, academic research, etc. )?
>>
>> all of them
>>
>>
>> 21. If you do not intend to host any portion of this project using the OSGeo
>> infrastructure, why should you be considered a member project of the OSGeo
>> Foundation?
>>
>> In our vision on how to develop GisClient we share most of the OSGeo
>> Foundation objectives.
>>
>> In facts:
>>
>> We aim to promote the use of open source software in the geospatial industry
>> and by the Goverments.
>>
>> We aim to support the implementation of open standards and standards-based
>> interoperability through our project.
>>
>> Taking part in the OsGeo Conferences (e.g. Barcelona 2009, Prague 2012), we
>> give our contribution to improve the internationalization of software and of
>> the community. We presented GisClient on occasion of the last Foss4G
>> Conference in Prague.
>>
>>
>> 22. Does the project include an automated build and test?
>>
>> No
>>
>>
>> 23. What language(s) are used in this project? (C/Java/perl/etc)
>>
>> Php/Javascript
>>
>>
>> 24. What is the dominant written language (i.e. English, French, Spanish,
>> German, etc) of the core developers?
>>
>> English
>>
>>
>> 25. What is the (estimated) size of a full release of this project?
>>
>> 50 Mb
>>
>>
>> 26. How many users do you expect to download the project when it is
>> released?
>>
>> 2000
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Cameron Shorter
>> Geospatial Solutions Manager
>> 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
>>
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>>