Mapbuilder is ready for OSGeo Graduation - and project merging

[Cameron Shorter]

Steve Lime wrote:
<snip>

> One question in my mind is what all the talk of project merging (OpenLayers, ka-map,
> MapBuilder and so on) really means. Is there a chance that in the near future there 
> really will be a single project comprised of the best of all of the participating client
> environments, and if so then how should that be taken into account as part of 
> incubation. Do we graduate a project that may substantial change near term? If
> projects do merge and one is "officially OSGeo" is the merged project now official?
> 
> I know you've started those discussions but it's not clear where they sit.

Steve,
Mapbuilder are likely to start using OpenLayers as a rendering engine, 
which will effectively mean Mapbuilder would be using OpenLayers as a 
library.  So technically, we would be able to be an OSGeo member without 
bringing OpenLayers in as an OSGeo member.

Mapbuilder would add value primarilly by providing a 
Model/View/Controller design pattern which allows numerous types of 
widgets to render one, or many XML documents.

I'd imagine it will be at least 6 months before there is a Mapbuilder 
release which uses OpenLayers.

While I'm very keen to see all the webmapping developers working on the 
same project, in practice I suspect it will take a year or two for the 
projects to grow into the same product.

The OpenLayers folks have made noises about applying for OSGeo 
membership - but I'll let them talk to that point.

Mapbuilder is not currently planning to merge with kamap directly, but 
are likely to be connected by an OpenLayer/kamap merge.

-- 
Cameron Shorter
http://cameron.shorter.net