First crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hi all I prepared a proposal for a testbot, and now I'm searching about 3000 Swiss Francs to turn it in to reality. The testbot is the first step of my quality efforts. Companies who are interested in a height quality Apache OpenOffice can now contact me via email: r...@raphaelbircher.ch The proposal is under: http://people.apache.org/~rbircher/prop_autotest01.txt Please write the following details: Full Adress: Contact person: With how much much money you will get involved: Greetings Raphael - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Probably best to choose a specific feature or aspect of AOO that would be a popular benefit to a lot of people. That is the difficult bit. What is likely to be possible? Maybe further improvements to Word import/export or something? Abilty to fully edit pdf files? Whatever is chosen needs wide appeal but is not such a big job as to be impossible to achieve. I'd like a multi-user AOO to use instead of GoogleDocs but I suspect this would be too big a project. On 7 October 2013 08:51, janI j...@apache.org wrote: On 7 October 2013 01:28, Raphael Bircher r.birc...@gmx.ch wrote: Hi all Am 05.10.13 13:30, schrieb Andrea Pescetti: Jörg Schmidt wrote: Apache could for example give hints/weblinks how to encrypt emails (that would help people in dictatorships), but that is not the real object of Apache That would not be relevant to the project. But if someone has a budget to spend in improving Apache OpenOffice, this would be relevant to the project: it would be useful to him to learn that he cannot pay a developer through Apache, but that (with no involvement and no responsibilities for Apache) he can post his request on a third-party website. Yes, it's not a topic for the ASF, but for the OpenOffice Community. The special thing about OpenOffice is the large userbase. If only one of 500 users invest 10 dollars, there would be a investment about 1 million dollars. Luckely this doesn't happend. I simply want to show how big the potential is. To get me right, I talk about investments, and not about donnations. I plane to start small, with small projects of same 1000 dollars. You can see the results faster and good results generate new funds. It is not a easy part, and I understand everyone who stay away from this business. But it is also a big chance for OpenOffice and of course for developers. I think you are on a correct track in my experience AOO is very well suited for crowdfunding, we have a very large known user base. I see it as a chance to get things done we otherwise would not have the capacity to do. The key to success is however a lot of preparation, you have one shot with your campain, so it needs to be eye catching and understandable (the user must see the personal benefit). Choosing the right website seems less important, trix is to use the social media. One of my good friends ran a very succesfull campain, raising funding to build a small footprint controller with embedded linux, it actually paid for 5 people a small year. If you need/want help with preparing the campain or afterwards, just mail me. rgds jan I. Then, like all patches, this contribution may or may not be included in OpenOffice depending on licensing and technical merit. But at least we give some more visibility to the OpenOffice ecosystem, quite similarly to what we do with consultants. That said, I have very little experience with crowdfunding sites and I don't know what the best one would be to find OpenOffice developers. I will talk next week to a person who has probabily experiance with this. I know this person from may sporttime. He has a company that helps in startups. Sametimes it's good to have a load of connections ;-) Greetings Raphael --**--**- To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@openoffice.**apache.org dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org -- Ian Ofqual Accredited IT Qualifications https://theingots.org/community/faq#7.0 Headline points in the 2014 and 2015 school league tables www.theINGOTs.org +44 (0)1827 305940 The Learning Machine Limited, Reg Office, 36 Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AQ. Reg No: 05560797, Registered in England and Wales.
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hi Raphael, 2013/10/7 Raphael Bircher r.birc...@gmx.ch Hi all Am 05.10.13 13:30, schrieb Andrea Pescetti: Jörg Schmidt wrote: Apache could for example give hints/weblinks how to encrypt emails (that would help people in dictatorships), but that is not the real object of Apache That would not be relevant to the project. But if someone has a budget to spend in improving Apache OpenOffice, this would be relevant to the project: it would be useful to him to learn that he cannot pay a developer through Apache, but that (with no involvement and no responsibilities for Apache) he can post his request on a third-party website. Yes, it's not a topic for the ASF, but for the OpenOffice Community. The special thing about OpenOffice is the large userbase. If only one of 500 users invest 10 dollars, there would be a investment about 1 million dollars. Luckely this doesn't happend. I simply want to show how big the potential is. To get me right, I talk about investments, and not about donnations. I plane to start small, with small projects of same 1000 dollars. You can see the results faster and good results generate new funds. It is not a easy part, and I understand everyone who stay away from this business. But it is also a big chance for OpenOffice and of course for developers. The great challenge will be to define which project could be successfull with an investment of 1000 or 2000 dollards. For an enduser, a new functionnality or a new extension can be considered as an easy task, but it's perhaps a really difficult work for the coder who has to implement it. Perhaps a way to solve this problem could be to publish the propositions to have advices and a general idea about their feasability and after decide in which category they could be classified : simple, intermediate or difficult task. That requires also from the donators to act with an open spirit, knowing clearly that there's no absolute garantee, knowing only that they have more chance to win something than with a loto ticket ;-) But your basis idea seems really interesting. A+ -- gw
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hi all Am 05.10.13 13:30, schrieb Andrea Pescetti: Jörg Schmidt wrote: Apache could for example give hints/weblinks how to encrypt emails (that would help people in dictatorships), but that is not the real object of Apache That would not be relevant to the project. But if someone has a budget to spend in improving Apache OpenOffice, this would be relevant to the project: it would be useful to him to learn that he cannot pay a developer through Apache, but that (with no involvement and no responsibilities for Apache) he can post his request on a third-party website. Yes, it's not a topic for the ASF, but for the OpenOffice Community. The special thing about OpenOffice is the large userbase. If only one of 500 users invest 10 dollars, there would be a investment about 1 million dollars. Luckely this doesn't happend. I simply want to show how big the potential is. To get me right, I talk about investments, and not about donnations. I plane to start small, with small projects of same 1000 dollars. You can see the results faster and good results generate new funds. It is not a easy part, and I understand everyone who stay away from this business. But it is also a big chance for OpenOffice and of course for developers. Then, like all patches, this contribution may or may not be included in OpenOffice depending on licensing and technical merit. But at least we give some more visibility to the OpenOffice ecosystem, quite similarly to what we do with consultants. That said, I have very little experience with crowdfunding sites and I don't know what the best one would be to find OpenOffice developers. I will talk next week to a person who has probabily experiance with this. I know this person from may sporttime. He has a company that helps in startups. Sametimes it's good to have a load of connections ;-) Greetings Raphael - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hello, From: Andrea Pescetti [mailto:pesce...@apache.org] There's an ongoing discussion at http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/community-dev/201310. mbox/date that may offer some useful information even if the issue is slightly different (a committer, in another Apache project, asking how to properly use crowdfunding sites to gather money and be able to spend more time on the project). This is correct. But, unless the scope is too narrow (or the code is really bad!) often it will make sense to integrate the developed code into Apache OpenOffice, so that the software is improved and the community can count on a new developer. Indeed. But as Rob wrote it could help to have some links at least to tell interested people the channels where they can find potential developers. Yes, I understand. What can I say ... not everything that is useful for AOO, is particularly important at the same time, and everything is useful only does not immediately support the preferred AOO by itself Example: Apache stands for free software, and thus also for freedom, but that it is not necessarily the task of Apache to treat general topics of freedom. Apache could for example give hints/weblinks how to encrypt emails (that would help people in dictatorships), but that is not the real object of Apache (imho) Greetings, Jörg - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hello, From: Guy Waterval [mailto:waterval@gmail.com] I think it is dangerous when public funds support a developper in a free project in which companies are associated. Just today I had a discussion with a Windows user saying he did not like the free projects because he considered that in these models, the volunteers are the losers and people who can commercially exploit the final product without reverse anything to the project itself, the winners. It is a quite common opinion among Windows users with whom I have the opportunity to discuss, probably because they haven't the habit of free projects. This is why I find preferable (but this is only my personal opinion) that a freelance developer should be paid only for his specific mission, defined by donors, and should not be integrated and under the control of the project for questions of independence and transparency. This should reduced the desagreable comments, I think. I understand what you're saying, but a detail I do not understand: Why should it be relevant whether companies are integrated or not? It is clear to me where the problem may be if you paid developers in freelance projects for any work, and not for concrete work, paid for - but why should it, _for that Contemplation_ be important whether collaborate companies or not? Greetings, Jörg - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Jörg Schmidt wrote: Apache could for example give hints/weblinks how to encrypt emails (that would help people in dictatorships), but that is not the real object of Apache That would not be relevant to the project. But if someone has a budget to spend in improving Apache OpenOffice, this would be relevant to the project: it would be useful to him to learn that he cannot pay a developer through Apache, but that (with no involvement and no responsibilities for Apache) he can post his request on a third-party website. Then, like all patches, this contribution may or may not be included in OpenOffice depending on licensing and technical merit. But at least we give some more visibility to the OpenOffice ecosystem, quite similarly to what we do with consultants. That said, I have very little experience with crowdfunding sites and I don't know what the best one would be to find OpenOffice developers. Regards, Andrea. - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Jörg Schmidt wrote: From: Raphael Bircher [mailto:r.birc...@gmx.ch] outside ASF. But maybe we should create a guidline how Crowdfunding could work on our community, and how we can support such activity. There's an ongoing discussion at http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/community-dev/201310.mbox/date that may offer some useful information even if the issue is slightly different (a committer, in another Apache project, asking how to properly use crowdfunding sites to gather money and be able to spend more time on the project). Crowdfunding is when: someone collects money or resources to *independently* make the changes *he* needs. He can return code to the project, but they must not do. This is correct. But, unless the scope is too narrow (or the code is really bad!) often it will make sense to integrate the developed code into Apache OpenOffice, so that the software is improved and the community can count on a new developer. I do not see that apache should set up rules or aids provide for Crowdfounding because it is not an issue for the AOO project *itself*. Indeed. But as Rob wrote it could help to have some links at least to tell interested people the channels where they can find potential developers. Regards, Andrea. - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hi Andrea, I think it is dangerous when public funds support a developper in a free project in which companies are associated. Just today I had a discussion with a Windows user saying he did not like the free projects because he considered that in these models, the volunteers are the losers and people who can commercially exploit the final product without reverse anything to the project itself, the winners. It is a quite common opinion among Windows users with whom I have the opportunity to discuss, probably because they haven't the habit of free projects. This is why I find preferable (but this is only my personal opinion) that a freelance developer should be paid only for his specific mission, defined by donors, and should not be integrated and under the control of the project for questions of independence and transparency. This should reduced the desagreable comments, I think. A+ -- gw 2013/10/4 Andrea Pescetti pesce...@apache.org Jörg Schmidt wrote: From: Raphael Bircher [mailto:r.birc...@gmx.ch] outside ASF. But maybe we should create a guidline how Crowdfunding could work on our community, and how we can support such activity. There's an ongoing discussion at http://mail-archives.apache.**org/mod_mbox/community-dev/** 201310.mbox/datehttp://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/community-dev/201310.mbox/date that may offer some useful information even if the issue is slightly different (a committer, in another Apache project, asking how to properly use crowdfunding sites to gather money and be able to spend more time on the project). Crowdfunding is when: someone collects money or resources to *independently* make the changes *he* needs. He can return code to the project, but they must not do. This is correct. But, unless the scope is too narrow (or the code is really bad!) often it will make sense to integrate the developed code into Apache OpenOffice, so that the software is improved and the community can count on a new developer. I do not see that apache should set up rules or aids provide for Crowdfounding because it is not an issue for the AOO project *itself*. Indeed. But as Rob wrote it could help to have some links at least to tell interested people the channels where they can find potential developers. Regards, Andrea. --**--**- To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@openoffice.**apache.orgdev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hi at all I beleve this is a realy important topic. If we want to grow, we need more professional ressource. We all know, founding for development most going on outside ASF. But maybe we should create a guidline how Crowdfunding could work on our community, and how we can support such activity. Also I wonder who is interested in Crowdfounding? Greetings Raphael - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 8:55 AM, Raphael Bircher r.birc...@gmx.ch wrote: Hi at all I beleve this is a realy important topic. If we want to grow, we need more professional ressource. We all know, founding for development most going on outside ASF. But maybe we should create a guidline how Crowdfunding could work on our community, and how we can support such activity. Personally, I think it is a great idea, and there are several web sites that can help private parties to arrange these kinds of arrangements. But if it happens outside of the ASF then I don't think we (the project) need to create any guidelines for it. But maybe we can have a link to crowdfunding sites that project members use, provided we give a clear disclaimer that these are private arrangements outside of the project. -Rob Also I wonder who is interested in Crowdfounding? Greetings Raphael - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
Re: Crowdfunding for Apache OpenOffice
Hello Raphael, *, From: Raphael Bircher [mailto:r.birc...@gmx.ch] I beleve this is a realy important topic. If we want to grow, we need more professional ressource. We all know, founding for development most going on outside ASF. But maybe we should create a guidline how Crowdfunding could work on our community, and how we can support such activity. I'm not sure, but I'm afraid there's a problem of understanding. Crowdfunding is (imho) a topic for third parties who have specific interests for changes to AOO. Crowdfunding is when: someone collects money or resources to *independently* make the changes *he* needs. He can return code to the project, but they must not do. Sponsorship or support for the AOO project itself, is when: someone donates money for Apache, or paid developers and provides the manpower available I do not see that apache should set up rules or aids provide for Crowdfounding because it is not an issue for the AOO project *itself*. Greetings, Jörg - To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@openoffice.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@openoffice.apache.org
