[Qgis-user] Open Source Routing in QGIS

[Paolo Cavallini]

Il 14/02/2013 00:26, Bernd Vogelgesang ha scritto:

> in general, i very much like the idea of crowd funding for qgis features. The
> contributers shouldn't be only rewarded by warm words from the community, but i
> really wonder why you started this initiative with such a feature !?

Hi Bernd,
to start a bid we need three things:
* a reliable developer
* the specifications
* an estimate of total cost.
This simply happens to be the first project for which we have all three. Other
projects are most welcome.

> I would happily donate money for more multi-use items than this, like painless
> spatialite support fro all functions, native Access mdb support, same features on
> linux as on Windows without having to do wizardry and other stuff i just can't name
> at the moment.

Anyone is free to start a bid.

> This brings me to the point how you chose this and gonna choose future projects.
> I would prefer having a moderated poll, where users simply could drop their thoughts
> and which could be rated by others, merged together by people with insight into the
> qgis development and finally pick the highest rated ideas for such a bidforfix-thing.
> This would ensure a fundamental user-interest in the project, and a broader awareness
> of what is needed or could be enhanced.

As Anita pointed out, this would add a lot of complications. With current system,
users vote by putting money on their preferred project.

> I fear that the poor presentation on that website won't open too many purses.
> In 12 lines, i am roughly told what the feature is about. I caught the keywords OSM,
> routing, service, but how about a use case ?

I can ask the developer to put some more details on the page.

> I think that many people (or at least I) have problems donating money in a project
> where they don't have the slightest idea about the figures and their part in it, and
> easily have the feeling that they throw their money in a bottomless pit.

Please refrain to send this negative word. If this project does not interest you,
don't put your money in. If there is enough people interested, the project will go
on, if not, it will die.
Natural selection, that is - the most powerful force we have.

> My conclusion:
> 1. Crowd funding is great!
> 2. There should be a poll/survey on wanted/needed features
> 3. Digest those ideas
> 4. Make raw budgets
> 5. Ask for donations
> 6. Find developers

You're putting things on their head, as Anita (thanks) pointed out: without an
interested developer, nothing can start, not even an estimate.
We have a short list of crucial issues for rolling out qgis 2, until now no developer
is interested in starting a bid on them.
A successful first bid will motivate more developers to venture in the crowdsourcing
field, so please everybody consider donating, and spreading (good) words. With QGIS
users numbering in the hundreds of thousands, even a few euros/dollars/whatever each
will make a difference.
All the best.
-- 
Paolo Cavallini - Faunalia
www.faunalia.eu
Full contact details at www.faunalia.eu/pc
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