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Recently, I began looking around for a web framework with which to develop a new web application. My requirements were fairly simple – I wanted something which wouldn't cost me much (if anything), which would let me develop in my programming language of choice (Python), my database of choice (PostgreSQL) and which would allow me to modify and distribute the framework itself. Are you beginning to notice a trend here? My basic requirements had already more or less reduced my choices to Free/Open Source Software – not necessarily because I ultimately wanted to save costs, but rather because I wanted to have the freedom to change, not just my own application, but also the framework and development components which I anticipated using to create the application.

This is a repost of a blog entry from Stormy's Corner.

Most people used to the proprietary software world, with no experience in open source software, are amazed that anything gets done. (And lots gets done in the open source, way more than in most proprietary software companies!) And people new to open source are usually at a loss as to where to start. Often they come with a great idea, tell a couple of people who confirm it's a great idea, and then ... well, and then they don't know what to do and the great idea fades.

So here are some of my ideas on how to get things done in the open source world. And I am by no means the expert - I'm in awe of some of the people I work with on a daily basis.

To get things done in open source:

Since the end of 2008, there has been a hot debate on the relative freedom of the afio software.  Everything started by the fact I wanted to incorporate MondoRescue into Fedora. In order to achieve that, I was in need of 2 other additional packages, among which was afio.

Afio was created back in 1985, way before our notion of Open Source existed,  even before the first GPL was written (dating from 1989). At that time, it was frequent to publish a piece of code people wanted to share on Usenet, in the comp.sources.unix. And it was also frequent to publish it with a note saying that people were allowed to share as long as no profit was made with it (same idea in fac t as the GPL to not render a software proprietary aferits distribution).

“Selling in” a great idea can be surprisingly frustrating – ask any ad man. You know it's good, and you know it’s good for them, but they just can't see it the way you do...

This is the disadvantage of author's knowledge. You know almost too much to make it simple to explain the idea and you can struggle to communicate the value proposition because it appears so obvious. The way around this is to see it through the recipient's eyes. Here's a handy checklist for what works:

1. Find the person with the problem
2. Establish what the pain points are.
3. State how F/OSS can overcome them – in simple messaging

The french association April (which turned 10 this year) has translated his work on "Economic Models of Freee Software" which it published originaly in french back in December 2007.

It is a very good introduction document to point CEO/CIOs to, when they ask themselves why embrace FLOSS, or how starting a FLOSS business.

PDF version: http://www.april.org/files/economic-models_en.pdf

ODT version: http://www.april.org/files/economic-models_en.odt

The french version is also of course available ;-)