Open Forges Summit 2012: 11th October, Paris (OWF)

Since the rise of Facebook there has been much discussion about people building walled gardens with open source software, but it seems like we’ve almost forgotten that many of us have built open source software behind someone else’s walled garden.

During the 2010 summit we spent a day discussing the so-called data-jail issue. Last year at the OWF we explored a possible solution for the problem based on interoperability between forges.

This year we want to look at how the landscape has changed; which opportunities allow projects to keep full control over their data, and which initiatives the EU is driving to address the issue. Academics, industry players and open forge advocates will illuminate this immersive half-day event. If you care about your project’s freedom, this summit is one you won’t want to miss!

11:00   Introduction:  Roberto Galoppini, Track Chair

11:05  A forge is just a tool, but is it the right tool? Ross Gardler, Apache Software Foundation

The law of the instrument states “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail” (Maslow, 1966).

Software forges collect project artifacts and provide tools for project management. They do not build software, they do not write or test software, they do not attract users or contributors. Yet it is the people that are important. Without the people there would be no artefacts and thus no forges.

Forges, today, don’t make it easy to discover the individuals and the communities behind the software. We typically find the project through some other means and then navigate to the forge. From there we start to examine the community and the people behind the project. Are forges missing an opportunity here? Can we improve the way people discover the all important people and communities behind the projects?

11:25 Open Forges and Open App Stores: Joining the dots, Scott Wilson, OSS Watch

Although both forges and app stores provide infrastructure for distributing software, they do so with different audiences in mind, and operate under different sets of constraints. App store users want to be able to easily find, evaluate and use software, wherever the code may live;  can we do a better job for users than just providing a download link or a link to the project page? There are also some significant barriers between app stores and open source forges that need to be overcome, such as (in)compatibility of open source licenses and app store T&Cs.

There is also rarely a “live” connection between the store and the source repository, for example automatic updating of metadata, features and screenshots. Can we create better links between forges and stores?

Can we also do a better job for users than just providing a download link or a link to the project page? Projects and services such as Apache Cordova, 5Apps and PhoneGap Build show its possible to bridge the gap between open source development processes and app stores for mobile apps – but what about for other kinds of software?

11:45 Stijin Goedertier,ADMS Working Group

In his talk, Stijn will outline the future plans for the AMDS.SW metadata vocabulary (http://joinup.ec.europa.eu/asset/adms_foss/description).  ADMS.SW is a metadata vocabulary to describe software making it possible to more easily explore, find, and link software on the Web. The specification maximally reuses existing specifications, such as DOAP, SPDX, ISO 19770-2, ADMS, and the Trove software map.  By using ADMS.SW to describe software, publishers increase its discoverability and enable applications to consume software metadata more easily. It allows software publishers to:

  • provide unique identifiers to software projects, software releases, and software packages through HTTP URIs and ISO 19770-2 identifying systems;
  • keep their own system for documenting and storing software;
  • improve indexing and visibility of software;
  • describe software in a common way so that it can be seamlessly cross-queried and discovered through a single access point (e.g. Joinup);
  • retrieve, compare and potentially link software to one another; and
  • identify software to be reused avoiding duplication and expensive development work.

12:05 Olivier Berger & Christian Bayle (FusionForge)

Advances on interoperability of FLOSS forges from the COCLICO projects, which have been implemented in FusionForge and other FLOSS platforms.

12:25 Empowering FLOSS in European Projects, Miguel Ponce de Leon, PROSE eu-funded project

Miguel will share the goals of the EU funded PROSE project, who’s objective is to accelerate the adoption of open source software on EU ICT projects. The presentation will highlight the projects plans to increase the lifetime of the software developed inside European projects and thus maximizing projects’ impacts. The presentation will show the creation and management of a platform for FLOSS project management, the development of a training program on legal and business aspects pertaining to FLOSS adoption and shall provide insight on a dissemination program to promote the adoption of a FLOSS-driven model in EU ICT projects.

12:45 Open Source and Agility , faster innovation for Tuleap forge, Laurent Charles, Enalean, Tuleap Open ALM

Enalean is the provider of Tuleap Open ALM, an open source software forge. Enalean is the only provider to deliver its enterprise software forge entirely under free GPL license. In the same time, main innovations and good practices in software engineering are propulsed by free communities. As an example, just look at SVN, Git or Hudson/Jenkins that are proof their efficiently. Enterprises where software innovation is a key for being competitive know that very well. That’s why they widely deploy free softwares within their development teams.  To tailor these softwares to their process and needs, enterprises choose between: asking an IT service company to make specific developments, investing in an on-site-team or waiting for next version of softwares.

To offer them an alternative, Enalean team decided to offer an innovative approach, implementing agile and open source principles.Indeed, gathering the assets of open source and agility faster innovation and new developments for forges. Tuleap customers, mainly worldwide industrial organizations, have quickly understood the gains: more contributions, exchanges, quality developments that really match their needs while staying free and independent.

The discussion will share feedback on customers stories and keys to succeed with a such approach.

13:00   Conclusion

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