Ask Slashdot: What Defines Success In an Open Source Project? 88
rbowen writes "Nine years ago, Slashdot readers discussed what makes an Open Source project successful. The answers were varied, of course. An academic paper summarized the results, agreeing (albeit with more precision) that motivations for Open Source projects are varied. Has anything changed since then? In the era of mobile apps, social media, and Google Ad revenue, have the definitions of Open Source project success changed at all? Have your reasons changed for being involved in Open Source?"
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Your project is a success when a corporation embeds it in their product and violates the GPL.
No, it's when you enforce it.
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Or when MS shills tell the world how much it sucks!
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Unless you choose to make your software truly free. Then, it's a success when they embed it without having to violate anything and everybody wins.
Usage (Score:5, Insightful)
I think widespread usage is a good metric and not just gloating over profit like the Apple fans like to do. "Apple derived the most profit from the cell phone industry." they say, to put down Android's usage gains. By that metric, IIS is totally killing Apache and Nginx in the web server space, but most folks consider Apache beats IIS. Which of this is true?
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You might not like Mickie-D's fair
I wash you guys would stoop using in correct homophones*, it make reading comprehension a pain in the ass. It took me a minute to figure out wtf a Mickie-D fair was... like a state fair? No, you meant FARE.
It also makes you look like an idiot. Please pay attention! Use that preview button. Dew knot truss yore spill chucker.
* on porpoise for illustration purposes. Yes, that too.
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Quite right - but the GP seems to be insinuating IIS isn't successful.
from this thread I learned (with a bit of surprise) that people actually still use that crap. a full 10% according to some prospections.
if this means success I cannot judge, nor do I care, since "success" is totally subjective in this context. I guess that that 10% of sysops have their reasons and could label IIS as a successfull server, or something that helps them succeed. I can respect that but for me its still just crap. expensive crap, maybe.
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Certainly not. Open Source is nothing if not self-defined. I get to define when my project is successful, and quality might be that definition, in my particular case. Fortunately, quality often leads to usage. But even when it doesn't, it's a worthwhile goal.
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Well said. I'd say open source projects are successful when they give those contributing what they want. In my case, I volunteer for projects that help blind/VI people, projects like Vinux [vinuxproject.org] - Linux for the Vision Impaired, SpeechHub [speechhub.org] - free voices everywhere, NVDA [nvaccess.org] - the free screen reader for the blind, and Orca [gnome.org] - the Linux screen reader. I also contribute algorithms, such as libsonic [debian.org] - speeding up speech for speed listeners, and an enhanced FFT algorithm [vinux-project.org] for speech recognition.
So, my win is helping the bl
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Well, personally it's never McDonalds I crave when trying to be kinder to animals by eating fewer of them. It's peperoni pizza and sushi that make me a carnivore. So, I give myself a break and instead of being "vegetarian", I'm "trying to be kinder to animals". I don't ask for a special meal at a party where the choices are hot dogs or hamburgers, and just eat them, and I'll still buy sushi or peperoni pizza, but I'd guess my consumption of turkey, pork, chicken, and products where I now know animals hav
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Sorry, but that's not what it means. So-called "Pink Slime" is a a Mechanically Separated Meat [wikipedia.org] product. It is not present in a steak, or any other actual cut of meat.
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Re:Usage (Score:5, Insightful)
I think widespread usage is a good metric...
I would say that any usage is a good metric. If you google the name of your project, and another person has made a positive comment somewhere about it, the it's a success, because you've touched someone. You don't have to measure yourself by the standard of Apache or Android or Firefox.
It reminds me of a story:
Two men are walking along a beach after the tide has gone out, leaving stranded starfish for as far as they can see. One man leans down and picks one up, and throws it back into the sea.
"Why bother?" the other man asks. "Look at all of them. It doesn't make any difference."
"It made a huge difference to that one," he replied.
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Well said.
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I would say that any usage is a good metric. If you google the name of your project, and another person has made a positive comment somewhere about it, the it's a success, because you've touched someone. You don't have to measure yourself by the standard of Apache or Android or Firefox.
Absolutely. It's a great ego boost to find that someone is using something you wrote, not because they have to, but because they *want* to. Writing commercial applications doesn't have the same feeling. Yes, a paycheck is nice, it's more practical, but for a lot of people the emotional bump from having somone use your OSS stuff is more powerful than a paycheck.
Re:Usage (Score:4, Interesting)
Both are metrics. Android vs. iOS, profit is a good metric - but so is usage. Android usage is under-reported because it's going by official Google Android numbers, and misses AOSP numbers. It's why the #2 tablet is the Kindle Fire, but isn't really seen in the Android listings. And there are many Android AOSP based phones out there (mostly in China) running nice "alternative" app stores. Profit's also a good metric too - after all, if Apple is making the most profit, it means that despite Android having a much larger marketshare (or usage), when combined with profits from non-smartphones, Apple is making more money then all of them combined. It helps explain why Nokia/RIM/Samsung are opposing any and all Apple proposals (money money money...)
As for Apache and IIS - I believe Apache actually has a larger marketshare over IIS (at least it did when all those IIS exploits were floating around), and quite possibly, the Apache-based ecosystem is far more profitable than the IIS ecosystem. But that's because of the licensing and support and many other factors.
In the end, success is whatever you want to define it. Some people consider success as making profits. Others may consider having someone else use the software a success. And others may define it as having most marketshare. Or maybe it's the entire economic profit of the software and its ecosystem. The only person that can judge the success of open-source software are the developers.
Heck, another definition of success may be the original creator can step down and see their software continue to evolve instead of becoming abandoned.
I can think of one measure (Score:3, Funny)
If RMS takes credit for the project and insists that everyone put "GNU/" in front of the name.
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Does it still itch? (Score:5, Insightful)
If so, you're not done yet. If not, find another itch to scratch.
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APK-approved (Score:1)
Nothing will make an Open Source project successful the way an endorsement from Alexander Peter Kowalski will.
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Meanwhile, Red Hat has now a yearly revenue of one billion dollars (source [zenoss.com]). Clearly OSS doesn't work.
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you know exactly how popular it is based on how many licenses have sold.
In related news, gonorrhea judged a favorite based on penicillin sales.
It depends, I think (Score:2)
When it's better than you alone could make it. (Score:5, Interesting)
When someone compares you to commercial software (Score:4, Insightful)
When respected authorities begin to compare you directly to the commercial alternative, even if you're still found somewhat wanting, you have arrived.
What is best in life? (Score:5, Funny)
I believe RMS said it best when he declared the following metrics required for FOSS project success:
1) To crush your enemies
2) To see them driven before you
3) To hear the lamentation of their women
For a good example of this, check out how Android has dominated Window Phone 7 and how their womenfolk continually spam Slashdot with first posts about their crushed dreams.
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You know, comparing RMS to Conan's uncompromising character is amusingly on-target. :) Thanks for making me nearly spit my drink, as that was awesome.
Money Maker (Score:2)
Lots of things you can look at (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Did it solve the original problem it was intended to solve?
2. How many other people had their problem solved by it? (usage stats, as much as possible)
3. How many other people were motivated to improve it? (got involved as developers, testers, documenters, etc)
4. Did it reach a point where it was so darned useful and bug-free that nobody really needed to think seriously about the problem ever again? (e.g. GNU's "bc" utility, which hasn't changed since 2000, and does its job beautifully)
The ultimately successful open source project goes through a lifecycle of something like:
1. solve an immediate problem
2. get developers, testers, documenters involved solving the problem in a wider context
3. solve the problem for a whole lot of users
4. nobody thinks any more work is needed
Quite simple: a healthy and vibrant community (Score:3)
When a project evolves into that state where developers and users get along an coexist peacefully, then you have an environment that benefits both groups. It seems like a simple social skill, but actually this is rather rare. I have been in a couple of projects, one where the users and developers have something of an acid relationship and have a confrontational nature. Little gets done, and nobody is happy. But in the other one, users, developers, and other contributors (I18N, addons, builds, examples, etc) all get along harmoniously and produce a wonderful product. The producer/consumer model does not work in open source projects. Mutual respect and courtesy are the key to getting the job done. This also includes upstream library developers, distro managers, etc.
The same thing (Score:5, Insightful)
The exact same thing that defines success in non-open source software: It does what you wanted.
Doesn't matter whether it's a log rotation script, a web app, a POS system or firmware for electronics on the next spaceship. Software success is determined by only one metric. Open source doesn't enter into it.
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Easy - releasing it (Score:1)
Easy: A release v1.0
A lawsuit. (Score:4, Insightful)
Success = BrowserQuest (Score:1)
This. [slashdot.org]
when you scare your corporate competitor (Score:2)
When your corporate competitor is scared enough to threaten you. That's how you know.
Noble Aspirations (Score:2)
When a how-to book about your project can be found in the computer book section of Barnes and Noble. Bonus points for making it to the "For Dummies" series.
The Production of Meaningful, Useful Documentation (Score:4, Interesting)
When there is not a superior commercial product. (Score:3)
I would say under that metric there is Linux, Firefox, VLC, Bsnes, Dolphin (Wii Emu), Pidgin, SumatraPDF, Filezilla, Blender.... The rest of the FOSS world has some way to go.
I'd say there are a few that are getting close: Gimp, Ardour, Libre Office, OpenShot.....
The bummer is how many FOSS games are just not good enough. It's the year 2012, and there's STILL not a better FOSS Civ 2 than the original Civ 2. Almost all of the best emulators are FOSS though, so.....
Also disappointing is the audio apps. Winamp 2.81 is still the best on Windows. Audacious is good on Linux, but there's no Windows version, so.....
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Also disappointing is the windows> audio apps. Winamp 2.81 is still the best on Windows. Audacious is good on Linux, but there's no Windows version, so.....
FTFW. Windows appears to be the *only* operating system that is still stuck with horrible music software.
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The problem is that most people do it for fun, and it's just not a lot of fun to work on something you're never going to use and that requires you working in an environment you'd rather not work in.
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When there is not a superior commercial product.
xeyes?
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It pisses on WinAmp for memory footprint (I still use it on a 14 year old P3, 384mb, while running a host of other programs), plays everything I chuck at it, and it feels like a FOSS application (no gimicks, no fancy graphics, no bloat).
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I'd say there are a few that are getting close: Gimp....
Not close. Not close at all.
Certainly not for pro or semi-pro use.
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I use Gimp professionally daily. For all kinds of web work, fliers, biz cards, posters... The only thing I miss from photoshop is cmyk and the heal brush.
The occasional ... (Score:2)
That's easy! (Score:1)
A name that no one can pronounce!
- How's your FOSS project doing? :)
- xcxcczgfhkklngs! Is a huge success!
My Project Is a Success, With Only A Few Users (Score:1)
I only have a few dozen users, and we all agree that it is a rousing success.
If it meets the needs of its intended audience, in its intended scope, then it is a success.
Their own measure (Score:1)
If corporations were legally responsible to their charter (rather than maniacal about profit), the world may see successes that are equally as good for society.
FaceHub (Score:1)