welcome pack

by Elena Blanco on 5 July 2011 , last updated 9 September 2012

Introduction

When you contact OSS Watch for advice we usually set up an initial meeting so that we can find out more about you and your project. This is the first step to ensure that we give you the most appropriate support and advice. Before this consultation we encourage you to do a little reading to learn more about OSS Watch and the fundamental issues relating to open source software and open development. This background reading makes up part of our ‘Welcome pack’ and we are delighted to present it here.

What is open source software?: For OSS Watch open source software is software that has been released under an Open Source Initiative (OSI) certified licence. OSS Watch uses this OSI-approved list as a means of avoiding debates over interpretation of the open source definition and which licences do or do not conform to it. By recognising the OSI as the appropriate final authority in this issue, much confusion is avoided.
Avoiding abandon-ware: getting to grips with the open development: Open source is more than a style of licence. The Open Source Initiative’s homepage tells us that ‘Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process.’ We explore this idea by examining the open development method.
A guide to participating in an open source software community: Participating in an open source software development community could be intimidating. But it need not be. We consider some steps you can take to get the most out of your participation.
Planning for sustainability: Most academic funding bodies encourage the projects they fund to release their software under an open source licence, and to make provision for the sustainability of their software from the outset. We explain how to build a sustainability plan at the beginning of your project, and describe the most common sustainability issues confronting the projects that OSS Watch advises. We also list the resources you should consider including in your project budget.
Governance models: A governance model describes the roles that project participants can take on and the process for decision making within the project. A governance model is crucial to prevent an open source project from descending into chaos. We explain why a governance model is necessary, considers some of the challenges associated with adopting a governance model in open source projects, and looks at the key areas such a model needs to cover.

At this stage we don’t want to bombard you with lots of reading, after we understand more about your project and the stage it is at we will be able to recommend further relevant material.