March 26th, 2008 ( Updated: March 26th, 2008 )
Open Source Census
Stormy just pointed a mailing list that I subscribe to at the Open Source census project.
At a glance, the project looks well thought-out — software, documentation, legal agreements, FAQs and so on are all in order.
The only thing that jumps out at me as missing is a notice about what license census data will be distributed under after it is collected.
Assuming that the license terms are suitably permissive, I look forward to taking a closer look at the project.
Update: It doesn't look like the data is open. :(
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Posted on Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 at 15:54
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March 26th, 2008 at 17:32
[...] Open Source Census Results Not Open Source? [...]
March 26th, 2008 at 21:57
All the project data with number of installations found will be publicly available.
We're currently working on what an API access should look like and we welcome all feedback.
March 26th, 2008 at 22:16
Hey Stormy,
Did I go off half-cocked here?
The sponsorship page certainly makes it seem like only paying sponsors will get access to the raw data.
If all of the project data will be publicly available, what is the difference between what the sponsors receive and what the general public receives?
Also, what license will see project data be released under?
March 26th, 2008 at 22:21
You know, we haven't really discussed the license the data is under … as you said, it's a hole. Not that we don't plan to share, just that we were thinking of the software, not the data, when picking licenses.
However, all the project info is available. (We still need to figure out the API format.) At the moment what is restricted to sponsors is demographic data - geography, company size, industry, etc, although some type of reports will be available. Also, if you submit your data, you can get benchmark data.
I can imagine in a few years, when the project becomes self-sustaining, it would all be open.
How can we best share the data?
March 26th, 2008 at 22:53
Hey Stormy,
Making any of this data proprietary reduces the value of it to OpenLogic.
The project's core value to OpenLogic is a tool to increase the credibility and visibility of your brand (and, as Marty Neumeier famously pointed out, "Brand is not what you say it is. It's what THEY say it is.")
You want copies of that data (and derivative works based on the data) sitting on the real and virtual desktops of every C-level executive who cares about IT — and you want OpenLogic prominently credited in every single copy.
You also want to use this project to help develop strong ties with every major FOSS project that the enterprise cares about. If you can manage this project on terms that the broad FOSS community can respect and build their own value with, we all win.