Transcript Open Source Technologies Supporting Publishing and

Enabling a Wider Web-Mapping
Open Source Community
Darren Redfern
Product Manager
DM Solutions Group Inc.
DM Solutions and Open Source
• core of our Corporate Philosophy
• currently develop several Open Source products:
– MapServer (@ UMinn)
– Chameleon
– MapLab
– etc.
• access provided through MapTools.org
– which hosts other OSS projects as well
MapTools (Today)
• first developed in 2003
• www.maptools.org
• currently set up more like a Developers’ Forum
– primarily one-way communication, developers  users
– works well for that paradigm!
MapTools (Tomorrow)
• want to create a true Community Portal
• information flows in many directions:
– developers  users,
– users  users,
– etc.
• all members of the community contribute to the
overall technology and understanding
• all members of community are welcomed to help
build the structure of the community too!
Getting Community Input!
• Help us help you. 
• Let’s have two-way communication on how to go
about establishing/maintaining two-way
communication.
• What do you feel is missing from MapTools that
would make it more effective for you?
• Are there elements from other OSS sites (e.g.,
Linux, Apache, OpenOffice, etc.) that you’d like to
see in MapTools?
Some Ideas We’ve Had…
• Application Gallery
– More than just links to Websites
– Also contributions of supporting files
• Chameleon templates
• supporting code
• skins, graphics
• design docs
• etc.
– The idea is to make the products easier to use as a
Community.
– ???
Some Ideas We’ve Had…(cont’)
• Document Exchange
– Place to share product-related documentation
• Complete documents
• Community-built documents
– Other ideas
• Translations
• ???
Some Ideas We’ve Had…(cont’)
• Curriculum Exchange
– Place to share:
• labs
• course material
• tests
• etc.
– Other ideas
• ???
Some Ideas We’ve Had…(cont’)
• QA/Testing Centre
– Download test suites for products
– Run automated tests online
– ???
Some Ideas We’ve Had…(cont’)
• Community Whiteboard
– Free-form area where the Community would build the
structure
– Completely organic – hands-off
– Use Twiki/Wiki technology to implement
• other thoughts on structure building tools?
Some Ideas We’ve Had…(cont’)
• Product Roadmap
– What are various developers working on?
• for next version
• for future versions
– What features would the Community like to see?
– ???
• News and Events
– Upcoming shows, conferences, etc.
– Contributed by the Community
– ???
What Future do YOU see?
• Contact me anytime:
– [email protected]
– during the rest of conference