From: ptkwt@...1.aracnet.com (Phil Tomson)
Date: 2002-01-29T04:38:38+09:00
Subject: Re: open source projects, sponsoring

In article <3C55194D.40307@pinkjuice.com>,
Tobias Reif  <tobiasreif@pinkjuice.com> wrote:
>Phil Tomson wrote:
>
>
>> I can see that it would be easy to get Open Source developers to 
>> participate, but how to dou you get companies to participate?
>
>Ideas are welcome :)
>
>
>Some companies already have programs, like
>http://www.thekompany.com/projects/
>(here's some paragraph about another project:
>http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/wftk.html#7 )

Is SourceXchange still in operation?

>
>Others could be asked directly, if they could be interested in specific 
>stuff.
>
>> (and how do 
>> you get the word out to companies and developers alike?)
>
>Developers: ruby-talk.
>
>Companies:
>
>
>Someone works in a company; they need a specific app/lib, which doesn't 
>exist. They can do it themselves, or propose a sponsored open source 
>project. (= the someone puts uploads a little page describing what's 
>needed, and links it on the Wiki). Benefits may be faster development 
>time, more testers/bugreporters => more stability, etc.
>

My experience is that most companies are not nearly 'enlightened' enough 
to even consider something like this.  At the company where I previously 
worked there were a couple of us open source advocates and on one 
occassion we proposed something like this (to develop a library).  The 
folks who were in charge just rolled their eyes and looked at us as 
though we had just proposed that we should have aliens from another galaxy 
work on our code...  

Now, I'm sure that there are more and more companies out there who are 
'getting it' when it comes to open source, but currently they're still few 
and far between.

Phil