FOSS:Building a strong ecosystem

5th November 2008

Pia Waugh

Consultant – Waugh PartnersFounding Member – OLPC Friends

President – Software Freedom International

pia@waughpartners.com.au

FOSS?

FOSS?

Software?

FOSS?

Software?Development methodology?

FOSS?

Software?Development methodology?Industry?

FOSS?

Software?Development methodology?Industry?Community?

FOSS?

Software?Development methodology?Industry?Community?Open Standards?

FOSS

SoftwareDevelopment methodologyIndustryCommunityOpen StandardsAnd, and, and....

FOSS is an ecosystem ofpeople

The Idea

The Idea goes public

People can see the Idea

Get the Idea

And contribute to the Idea

So the Idea can evolve

Community distributions

Commercial distributions

Local User Groups

FOSS is an ecosystemof people...

● Projects● Community distributions● Commercial distributions● Local User Groups● Industry● Users and innovators● Advocates

... who do stuff

● Software development● Support● Documentation● Implementation● Demos and talks● User meetings● Outreach events

Many do itfor fun

Many do itfor work

Many do it toimprove the world

Communities are driven by

● Individuals● Technical needs● Vision● Grassroot efforts

The roles ofGovernment

?

● Industry develops through market needs

Government: Using FOSS

● Industry develops through market needs● Community responds to user needs

Government: Using FOSS

● Industry develops through market needs● Community responds to user needs● Skills development

Government: Using FOSS

● Industry develops through market needs● Community responds to user needs● Skills development● Best practices

Government: Using FOSS

● Industry develops through market needs● Community responds to user needs● Skills development● Best practices● Reduction of FOSS procurement blockages

Government: Using FOSS

● Industry develops through market needs● Community responds to user needs● Skills development● Best practices● Reduction of FOSS procurement blockages● Benefits of FOSS systems & industry

Government: Using FOSS

● Industry develops through market needs● Community responds to user needs● Skills development● Best practices● Reduction of FOSS procurement blockages● Benefits of FOSS systems & industry● Ask your vendors about FOSS

Government: Using FOSS

Cost savings – Migration or consolidation

Sustainability – National Archives of Australia

Flexibility & Collaboration – eGovernment

Trusted Systems – eVoting – Diebold, ACT vs Victoria

Ensure there is a need

● Innovate with existing tools

Government:Developing FOSS

● Innovate with existing tools● Use FOSS collaboration methods and tools

Government:Developing FOSS

● Innovate with existing tools● Use FOSS collaboration methods and tools● Encourage contribution to projects where

appropriate – bugs reports, code, docs

Government:Developing FOSS

● Innovate with existing tools● Use FOSS collaboration methods and tools● Encourage contribution to projects where

appropriate – bugs reports, code, docs● Whitebranding easy Government adoption

Government:Developing FOSS

● Communities are bottom up, not top down

Government:Supporting Communities

● Communities are bottom up, not top down● Support enthusiasm within departments

Government:Supporting Communities

● Communities are bottom up, not top down● Support enthusiasm within departments● Encourage participation in FOSS communities

Government:Supporting Communities

● Communities are bottom up, not top down● Support enthusiasm within departments● Encourage participation in FOSS communities● Give staff time to learn and develop

Government:Supporting Communities

● Communities are bottom up, not top down● Support enthusiasm within departments● Encourage participation in FOSS communities● Give staff time to learn and develop● Support user groups – venue, pizza, hardware

Government:Supporting Communities

● Communities are bottom up, not top down● Support enthusiasm within departments● Encourage participation in FOSS communities● Give staff time to learn and develop● Support user groups – venue, pizza, hardware● Run/support events – hackfests, competitions

Government:Supporting Communities

FOSS in Australia

✔ Private – strong user community✔ Education – growing rapidly✔ The Open Source Industry – highly skilled

globally successful and local development✔ The Open Source community – large

and skilled community, project leaders several local development labs

✔ Government – great case studies, lacking cohesive leadership and strategy

FOSS in the Australian Government

➢ Over 60% of agencies using FOSS➢ Leadership from flagship agencies

➢ NAA – archival of Government data➢ NSW Judicial Commission – core biz apps➢ AGIMO – Government collaboration – GovDex➢ NSW DET – FOSS in education

➢ Agencies participating in the community➢ Increase in pilots and trials

“Open Source is the future” - Patrick Callioni, Division Manager, AGIMO

World experiences

World experiences

World experiences

World experiences

World experiences

● Security● Control● Scalability● Autonomous● Skills devel● Self-determination

● Education● Learning● Localisation● Community● IT industry bootstrapping

● Sustainability● Avoiding vendor lock-in● Control over Data

● Local industry● Flexibility● Cost savings● Gov investment

Thank you & Questions

Useful links Linux Australia - http://linux.org.au/

Open Source Industry Australia - http://osia.net.au/Australian Service for Knowledge of Open Source - http://ask-oss.mq.edu.auAustralian Government collaboration portal - http://www.govdex.gov.au/

Australian FOSS Census - http://census.waughpartners.com.au/

Pia Waughpia@waughpartners.com.au

Waugh Partnershttp://waughpartners.com.au

All images are either OpenOffice clipart or Public Domain from Wikicommons