[mapserver-users] what 'bout mapserver's future

[Daniel Morissette]

Eduardo Patto Kanegae wrote:
> 
> so, finally , my question is :
> -and what about the future? could mapserver loose its projects like
> Nautilus(EazeL)?
> and what i can do help keeping this project alive?
> 

MapServer can't "lose" it's project... it's an Open Source project so it
will exist as long as people will contribute to it.  That also means
Microsoft (or another giant) cannot decide to buy the rights on
MapServer tomorrow and shut it down.  ;)

However, as I wrote an Open Source project survives because of its users
and its contributors... so what you (and everyone else reading this) can
do to help depends on who you are and on your skills.  In addition to
"joining the party" and building/showing nice apps, you can contribute
by:

- If you're an application developer:
  - publish and document the source of your apps to help others getting
    started
  - join the documentation project and contribute some HOWTOs
  - review existing documentation and suggest fixes/improvements
  - support new users on the mailing list
  - help by regularily testing CVS snapshots on several architectures

- If you're a C/C++ developer:
  - all of the above!  :)
  - help with testing/fixing bugs reported on the list.
  - implement new features

- If you're a company or an organization using Mapserver:
  - I'm sure you use it because it's better and not because it's free :)
    but anyway think about all the money you saved on server licenses
    and try to return something to the MapServer community, either by
    funding enhancements to MapServer or if you have experienced 
    MapServer application developers in-house who would like to
    contribute to the MapServer project then your company could 
    contribute by letting them do it on company time.

All this will help keep MapServer alive... and keep in mind that almost
everyone with a bit of experience with MapServer has something they can
contribute.  If you think you can help they don't hesitate and go ahead!

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------
 Daniel Morissette               morissette at dmsolutions.ca
 DM Solutions Group              http://www.dmsolutions.ca/
------------------------------------------------------------
  Don't put for tomorrow what you can do today, because if 
      you enjoy it today you can do it again tomorrow.