[Incubator] Info on the Old OSGeo Labs

Jody Garnett jody.garnett at gmail.com
Tue Mar 8 12:30:16 PST 2016


Thanks for the support/discussion Daniel/Cameron - I am open to a word
other than "OSGeo Technology".

Many of the other words proposed missed the point of the exercise... it is
more useful to think of a project like pgRouting <http://pgrouting.org> or
PROJ <https://trac.osgeo.org/proj/> than to think of 100 lines of
javascript.



--
Jody Garnett

On 8 March 2016 at 12:25, Cameron Shorter <cameron.shorter at gmail.com> wrote:

> Jody,
> As per Daniel's comment.
> +1 to OSGeo being more inclusive by providing a light weight process for
> joining (in line with your suggestions)
> -1 for the words "OSGeo Technology". Are you open to changing to another
> word than "Technology"?
>
>
> On 9/03/2016 2:22 am, Daniel Morissette wrote:
>
>> Hi Jody,
>>
>> FWIW I like the idea of a more inclusive place such as the former "OSGeo
>> Labs", I was even one of the early supporters of the idea.
>>
>> The only concern that I expressed earlier was to make sure that
>> terminology and expectations are clear for visitors to the site. I don't
>> want this to be perceived as a blocker, it was just a constructive comment
>> to help clarify the wording to make sure that users know what they are
>> getting from what we call OSGeo projects vs OSGeo technology.
>>
>> Perhaps a comparison page to address the differences between Projects vs
>> Technology would help address the possible confusion?
>>
>> Daniel
>>
>>
>> On 2016-03-08 10:13 AM, Jody Garnett wrote:
>>
>>> We are setting something up different that is not OSGeo labs. We are
>>> validating - that these projects are open source and participatory.
>>>
>>> The result is hopefully a larger OSGeo community.
>>>
>>> This direction comes out of a board discussion around being inclusive
>>> and innovative. It could be the OSGeo Technology idea won't fly ...
>>>
>>> Our OSGeo incubation process is set up for stability and safety. While I
>>> respect this it is holding us back from including different categories
>>> of projects.
>>>
>>> I think the larger issue for the board to wrestle with is that the
>>> foundation does not provide enough value to projects. While they are
>>> willing to step up assistance (say incubation sprint or external code
>>> review) we on the incubation list need to look at our priorities on who
>>> we can extend this assistance to.
>>>
>>> I would still like to see projects like pgRouting try their hand at
>>> incubation. I think it is a shame incubation. and the foundation, is
>>> considered hard.
>>>
>>> In fact open source is hard, and we are here to help.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 8, 2016 at 2:35 AM Cameron Shorter
>>> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>     Hey Jody,
>>>     I'm actually agreeing with all you are suggesting doing with the
>>>     rebranded "OSGeo Labs", except the name "OSGeo Technology". This
>>>     name misrepresents the "Self Serve", non-validated concept of "OSGeo
>>>     Labs". The name implies "built out of OSGeo Projects".  This is a
>>>     dis-service to people who come to our site for the first time, a
>>>     dis-service to "OSGeo Projects" who now become associated with
>>>     immature projects.
>>>
>>>     Pick a more accurate name than "OSGeo Technology" and I'd back the
>>>     rest of what you are suggesting.
>>>
>>>     Warm regards, Cameron
>>>
>>>
>>>     On 7/03/2016 9:55 am, Jody Garnett wrote:
>>>
>>>>     This is going to be a tough one Cameron ... our brand currently
>>>>     has a reputation for turning projects away ... not quality.
>>>>
>>>>     The long story short is how to respond to the direction to be
>>>>     inclusive. We have two strong characters on this mailing list with
>>>>     an axe to grind making it difficult for projects to be part of
>>>>     OSGeo. I am very keen on projects *being* open source, and you are
>>>>     very keen on making projects safe for users to adopt (project
>>>>     viability, quality, open standards).
>>>>
>>>>     I am proposing repurposing "OSGeo Labs" (which did not promise
>>>>     anything as a brand and got adopted by GeoForAll) as "OSGeo
>>>>     Technology" to focus on the open source angle; in order to
>>>>     preserve "OSGeo Projects" (and incubation) to focus on the second.
>>>>
>>>>     We have a tension here between being inclusive (read easy) and
>>>>     transparent (which takes effort).
>>>>
>>>>     How would you like to add "transparency" to this mix? We could
>>>>     provide a table with website, download, documentation, test
>>>>     results - not sure if that would help with transparency?
>>>>
>>>>     I know we keep coming back to a rating system on this mailing list
>>>>     - I recognize your work in this area for OSGeo Live with the
>>>>     introduction of black duck metrics. I imagine you would also be
>>>>     happy to phrase things as positive "badges" (for projects that
>>>>     have documentation, or quality assurance, or standards
>>>>     testing).  For quality, documentation and so forth I think we are
>>>>     stuck leading by example (and perhaps working with the OGC on
>>>>     standards compliance).
>>>>
>>>>     On 3 March 2016 at 23:57, Cameron Shorter
>>>> <<mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>cameron.shorter at gmail.com
>>>>     <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         Hi Jody,
>>>>         I agree with your suggestion that "Old OSGeo Labs" need not
>>>>         have an aim of entering OSGeo incubation.
>>>>         However, I object to any project becoming associated with
>>>>         OSGeo without it being obvious about the level of quality
>>>>         control the project has gone through.
>>>>
>>>>         As suggested below, I could knock together 100 lines of
>>>>         uncommented, non-working code, give it an open source license,
>>>>         and then add a "OSGeo Technology" logo to the home page. And
>>>>         most average punters wouldn't know the difference between term
>>>>         "OSGeo Project" and "OSGeo Technology". This would result in
>>>>         diminishing the current association between OSGeo applications
>>>>         and quality, which would be a bad thing.
>>>>
>>>>         I feel "OSGeo Labs", "OSGeo Community Builder Projects", or
>>>>         shortened to "OSGeo Builder Projects" are less likely to be
>>>>         confused with "OSGeo Incubated" projects.
>>>>
>>>>         Warm regards, Cameron
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         On 4/03/2016 2:13 am, Stephen Woodbridge wrote:
>>>>
>>>>             +1, I think these changes make a lot of sense and as part
>>>>             of an OSGeo Technology project this feels very inclusive.
>>>>
>>>>             -Steve W
>>>>
>>>>             On 3/3/2016 9:46 AM, Jody Garnett wrote:
>>>>
>>>>                 I would like to change the tone of the page a bit,
>>>>                 since it "assumes"
>>>>                 incubation ..
>>>>
>>>>                     /OSGeo Labs is an umbrella for open source
>>>>                 geospatial software
>>>>                     projects that would like to become OSGeo projects
>>>>                 in the future, but
>>>>                     that aren't ready for incubation quite yet. It is
>>>>                 appropriate to
>>>>                     submit your new or experimental project as an
>>>>                 OSGeo labs project./
>>>>                     /
>>>>                     /
>>>>                     /The volunteers that work as part of OSGeo Labs
>>>>                 have the goal of
>>>>                     helping OSGeo Labs Projects qualify for
>>>>                 incubation. To reach this
>>>>                     goal, OSGeo Labs volunteers help OSGeo Labs
>>>>                 Projects with the
>>>>                     following tasks:
>>>>                     /
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>                 Would become:
>>>>
>>>>                     /Welcome to OSGeo Technology. The projects listed
>>>>                 here are part of
>>>>                     the Open Source Geospatial Foundation and range
>>>>                 from new
>>>>                     experimental projects to established pillars of
>>>>                 our open source
>>>>                     ecosystem./
>>>>                     /
>>>>                     /
>>>>                     /All projects here meet our goals as an
>>>>                 organization - they are open
>>>>                     source (no really we checked) and are inclusive
>>>>                 and welcoming to new
>>>>                     contributors./
>>>>                     /
>>>>                     /
>>>>
>>>>                     /Projects that go on to establish excellence in
>>>>                 community building,
>>>>                     documentation, and governance can enter our
>>>>                 "incubation" program. /
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>                 I would also lose the "status" conditions
>>>>                 seed/seedling/sapling/adult
>>>>                 and keep OSGeo Technology focused on the basics (open
>>>>                 source &
>>>>                 inclusive). The status becomes having the "OSGeo
>>>>                 Technology" badge nice
>>>>                 and simple.
>>>>
>>>>                 Thinking this through a bit more we have one clear
>>>>                 reason for projects
>>>>                 to go through with incubation - being recognized by
>>>>                 the board and having
>>>>                 an OSGeo Officer listed directly for the project,
>>>>                 while OSGeo Technology
>>>>                 projects "share" an officer (as part of "incubation
>>>>                 committee").
>>>>                 --
>>>>                 Jody Garnett
>>>>
>>>>                 On 11 February 2016 at 11:04, Landon Blake
>>>>                 <sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com
>>>>                 <mailto:sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com>
>>>>                 <mailto:sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com
>>>> <mailto:sunburned.surveyor at gmail.com>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>                     There is some good information on what we were
>>>>                 trying to achieve
>>>>                     with the old OSGeo Labs on the wiki:
>>>>
>>>>                 https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Labs
>>>>
>>>>                     I think most of that information on the wiki still
>>>>                 applies. This
>>>>                     includes the purpose of labs, how projects get
>>>>                 started in labs, what
>>>>                     labs is trying to accomplish, and the criteria to
>>>>                 determine if your
>>>>                     project is a good fit for labs.
>>>>
>>>>                     Does anyone have major heartburn with what is laid
>>>>                 out on that wiki
>>>>                     page? (I'll rename the wiki page as soon as we get
>>>>                 a new name for labs.)
>>>>
>>>>                     Landon
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>                 <mailto:Incubator at lists.osgeo.org
>>>>                 <mailto:Incubator at lists.osgeo.org>>
>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         --
>>>>         Cameron Shorter,
>>>>         Software and Data Solutions Manager
>>>>         LISAsoft
>>>>         Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
>>>>         26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>>
>>>>         P +61 2 9009 5000 <tel:%2B61%202%209009%205000>,  W
>>>>         www.lisasoft.com <http://www.lisasoft.com>, F +61 2 9009 5099
>>>>         <tel:%2B61%202%209009%205099>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         _______________________________________________
>>>>         Incubator mailing list
>>>>         Incubator at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:Incubator at lists.osgeo.org>
>>>>         http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>     --
>>>     Cameron Shorter,
>>>     Software and Data Solutions Manager
>>>     LISAsoft
>>>     Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
>>>     26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>
>>>     P +61 2 9009 5000,  Wwww.lisasoft.com <http://www.lisasoft.com>,  F +61
>>> 2 9009 5099
>>>
>>> --
>>> --
>>> Jody Garnett
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Incubator mailing list
>>> Incubator at lists.osgeo.org
>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> --
> Cameron Shorter,
> Software and Data Solutions Manager
> LISAsoft
> Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
> 26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>
> P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com,  F +61 2 9009 5099
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Incubator mailing list
> Incubator at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator
>
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