Folks, just a little reminder that we should be careful in terminology (because it came up in this thread several times already, this it is not a specific criticism of your content, Ravi).
The term "commercial software" [1] does *not* exclude Free and Open Source software. Therefore it does not make sense to use it to contrast it to FOSS [2]. It is thus a confusing misnomer. Carelessness of use works in favor of FUD [3] on Open Source. Ignorance of the underlying concepts and misusing the term "commercial" [4] discredits all undertakings that provide commercial services for Open Source software (like these [5]). Please use "proprietary software" instead. For further details you may want to scan the OSGeo Advocacy category [7] (it is a Wiki, feel free to hack and extend it). Best regards, [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_software [2] http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt [4] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Commercial_Services [5] http://www.osgeo.org/search_profile?SET=1 [6] 404 [7] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Category:Advocacy Ravi schrieb: > Hi, In India, OpenJUMP has a very good following on windows, as it is > much simpler than some costly commercial flavors of GIS. They can at > best be called as 'passive users', who even do not (care to) know > that a list exists on the internet. Some Indian universities have > started using OpenJUMP for vector GIS. Ravi Kumar > > --- On Sat, 22/8/09, Daniel Ames <amesd...@isu.edu> wrote: > >> From: Daniel Ames <amesd...@isu.edu> Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] >> Open Source Lurkers To: "OSGeo Discussions" >> <discuss@lists.osgeo.org> Date: Saturday, 22 August, 2009, 10:24 AM >> Landon, et al. >> >> I'm aware of this phenomenon in the MapWindow community as well. It >> is particularly prominent with non-English speaking folks who, for >> a number of reasons (mostly described by Bill below) don't feel >> comfortable joining the conversation and openly participating in >> the project. >> >> >> I think there is another clear reason for this behavior... they >> sometimes just don't know that they are welcome/invited. This might >> be more of a pronounced problem for those of us developing >> specifically for Windows because Windows users have historically >> been told that they are not allowed to participate. >> >> >> However it's also a phenomenon of GIS in general. When was the last >> time that the major GIS software vendor asked it's customers to >> actively join in writing documentation, answering forum questions >> and - heaven forbid - fixing bugs. >> >> >> So how do you fix this. Well all I can think is to continually >> invite invite invite. Everytime someone posts a forum question, >> give an answer and then invite them to answer other people's >> questions. When people ask for bug fixes, invite them to fix a big >> - or to hire someone to do it. Any time you get a personal >> communication, invite them to do something on the project. >> >> >> This has helped a lot with our project, and I think we've landed >> some awesome project participants (some of whom are likely reading >> this now!) by letting them know how much we need them, and inviting >> them over and over to participate. >> >> >> That's my suggestion anyway, >> >> Dan >> >> >> >> >> >> On Sat, Aug 22, 2009 at 4:53 AM, Bill Thoen <bth...@gisnet.com> >> wrote: >> >> I've been a moderator for a commercial desktop mapping forum for >> more than 10 years and this behavior is quite common. I think it >> has more to do with how people adapt to a social network than it >> has to do with anything unique in the Open Source world. Like Chris >> mentioned, the majority of subscribers prefer to lurk below the >> public visibility horizon in a way that resembles an iceberg where >> only the tip remains above the waterline while the majority of its >> bulk lurks below. >> >> >> >> >> People lurk for many of the reasons you suggest, but I think the >> most common one is that they don't feel expert enough to contribute >> anything useful to a thread, and the risk of saying something >> "stoopid" --in public... and worse, thus revealing to their >> GIS/mapping peers the depth of their ignorance-- is just too >> embarrassing to contemplate. Especially when compared with the >> perceived safety of remaining anonymous in the shadows where they >> can drink in new knowledge like free beer while also being >> entertained by the interplay of the forum's regularly featured >> fools and sages. >> >> >> >> >> If we assume that Maslow was right about what motivates people >> (self-interest) then lurking in an open source community and not >> participating is exactly the wrong thing to do. If your business >> depends on some FOSS tool, then it's in your self-interest to >> expand the environment in which it operates as much as possible. >> Because if what you sell depends on tools like OpenJUMP, you want >> OpenJUMP well supported with a lively user group, a good supply of >> free data, technologically competitive, and actively being >> developed. This is the key to making money out of bits instead of >> atoms. If you sell services, give away the software and the >> infrastructure of the environment it runs in. This expands the >> market for your services and since the tools are free, the more >> people who download them the bigger your market share gets. If you >> sell software, give away services that leverage it. But if you lurk >> and don't contribute to its development or the development of the >> environment in which it operates, then you're sort of stepping on >> your own air hose. >> >> >> >> >> - Bill Thoen >> >> >> >> >> >> Landon Blake wrote: >> >> >> >> >> I would like to get some comments on a phenomenon I have discovered >> among the OpenJUMP community. I know for sure of one (1) company >> that maintains a separate fork of OpenJUMP, but which monitors our >> mailing list and likely grabs patches form our source code >> repository. They never participate in the forums or make known >> their use of OpenJUMP in any other public manner. >> >> >> >> >> I think there is at least one other company that does this. >> >> >> >> I only learn of these companies when I am contacted by private >> e-mail to work for them on OpenJUMP development, usually by some >> headhunter. I actually did a little work for one of these companies >> (which was not a great experience, but that is another story) and I >> was surprised at how important OpenJUMP was to their operation. >> They even distributed it to their customers. >> >> >> >> >> I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why this company wouldn’t >> take a more active role in supporting the OpenJUMP community. I’m >> not necessarily talking about money here, but about writing >> documentation, contributing their own patches, or answering >> questions on the mailing lists. Our community is very informal and >> open, and an organization could likely have a large influence on >> the direction the program took with an investment of some >> resources. >> >> >> >> >> Is OpenJUMP the only community with these open source lurkers? How >> many of these companies do you think there are? (I’m not talking >> about one guy who downloads an open source app and uses it. I’m >> talking about actual companies with more than one employee.) >> >> >> >> >> Why don’t they get more involved? Are they embarrassed? Do they not >> want their competition to find out about the open source program >> they are benefiting from? Are they violating the terms of the >> license and don’t want to get busted? Do they not understand that >> their involvement is a key part of the program’s survival? >> >> >> >> >> This has become an important question for me recently as the active >> development of OpenJUMP has slowed. We don’t have any organizations >> actively participating in development. (Well, maybe one or two, but >> they have been quiet lately.) I’m the only one working on serious >> improvements or changes, and not just bug fixes. I would really >> like to reach out to these lurkers to get them more involved. >> Ultimately, the survival of the project may depend on it. >> >> >> >> >> What do you think? Send an e-mail to the project list with an >> invitation to contact me privately about getting more involved? Are >> these lurkers worth the time? >> >> >> >> Landon >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> *Warning: >> >> *Information provided via electronic media is not guaranteed >> against defects including translation and transmission errors. If >> the reader is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified >> that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this >> communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this >> information in error, please notify the sender immediately. >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Discuss mailing list >> >> Discuss@lists.osgeo.org >> >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Discuss mailing list >> >> Discuss@lists.osgeo.org >> >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >> >> >> >> >> -- Daniel P. Ames, Ph.D. PE Associate Professor, Geosciences Idaho >> State University - Idaho Falls amesd...@isu.edu >> >> www.hydromap.com www.mapwindow.org >> >> >> >> >> -----Inline Attachment Follows----- >> >> _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing >> list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >> > > > Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and > more. Click here http://cricket.yahoo.com > _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss -- Arnulf Christl OSGeo President http://www.osgeo.org _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
