Comments for OSS Watch team blog

Comment on Manage your research data safely with open source by DataFlow new release at OSS Watch team blog

DataFlow new release at OSS Watch team blog — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:22 +0000

[...] mentioned in an earlier post, DataFlow is an Oxford-based project in the JISC UMF programme building a data management [...]

Comment on Nginx and the Open Core model by Andrew Katz

Andrew Katz — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:33:54 +0000

@Mike – yes, agreed. I’m surprised to see any open core development still in action, to be honest; I thought the idea was debunked a couple of years ago.

It seems to combine the worst of both worlds. For example, one joy of open source software is that you don’t have to worry about how many copies you are running, or do licence audits. Not true with open core, if you have any closed extensions.

Comment on Nginx and the Open Core model by Mike Schinkel

Mike Schinkel — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:03:53 +0000

You mentioned “Ideological Opposition” with the Open Core model but what you didn’t mention is something I call “Pragmatic Opposition.” I view pragmatic opposition as being related to interest in the full defacto-standardization of a platform.

If there is a cost to selected extensions then the vast majority of users won’t be using those extensions. As open-source alternatives are released the business supporting the platform will see it as in their best interest to deflect interest in the open-source alternatives to ensure the alternative is not viewed as the platform’s defacto-standard.

Making matters worse is when multiple alternatives emerge and then important aspects of the platform becomes fragmented. Sadly, It’s Unix all over again (or today maybe I should say “Android.”)

So while ideological opposition certainly gets the press because of how people love to read about conflict orchestrated by larger-than-life personalities, I believe pragmatic opposition is more important from a business decision-making perspective.

Which leads me to be very sad that Nginx chose an open core model.

Comment on FOSS Focus by dan mcquillan

dan mcquillan — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:42:25 +0000

i came across the chdk via the awesome balloon mapping projects; if you don’t know them, there’s more detail here:

http://publiclaboratory.org/tool/balloon-mapping
http://grassrootsmapping.org/

Comment on Carmack’s Reverse: a FOSS patent case study by Patents Roundup: Bad System, Clear Symptoms | Techrights

Patents Roundup: Bad System, Clear Symptoms | Techrights — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:08:46 +0000

[...] Watch covered this as well: Just a quick one on the subject of open source and patents. John Carmack is well known in gaming [...]

Comment on Carmack’s Reverse: a FOSS patent case study by Samael

Samael — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:22:30 +0000

From what I have read on the subject it seems that Carmack had publicly discussed the technique prior to the patent being filed.

Comment on Widget Bashing by building materials

building materials — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:29:31 +0000

Widets and apps seem to be taking over from older programs like windows. I would like to start building some widgets for my own site but I cant seem to find any template software. Is there any such thing? I have found widgetbox but they want a monthly subscription. Would love to get some advice here and I will take a look at the Wookie project.

Comment on Open Source Junction 1: cross-platform mobile apps – the extras by Open Source Junction 2 – video shots at OSS Watch team blog

Open Source Junction 2 – video shots at OSS Watch team blog — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:11:07 +0000

[...] early feedback we got from the first event of the series was equally [...]

Comment on TransferSummit hits the mark by Open source innovation at OSS Watch team blog

Open source innovation at OSS Watch team blog — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:36:11 +0000

[...] June 2010 I chaired the inaugral TransferSummit Conference (report) in Oxford. The byline for that conference was “Open Source, Open Development, Open [...]

Comment on Writing good software by Alistair

Alistair — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 09:50:41 +0000

Couldn’t agree more too but I often wonder how hackfests contribute to the other end of the scale. When those at the top see what can be done in such a short time whereas “good software” takes much much longer to develop. The Quick Win is the worst enemy of the software developer striving to write good software. Also, the difference between software engineering and programming isn’t understood higher up the chain. Having said that, hackfests are a superb way of doing a collective “spike” in agile terminology but more often than not, one’s taskmasters don’t see past the spike to the wider picture that is built as a result of doing the spike.