Open Source Procurement Guide for GIS Software

www.osgeo.org
Open Source
Procurement
and the search for the
perfect hotdog

Welcome
Jody Garnett
Technical Architect
jody.garnett@gmail.com
@jodygarnett
how2map.com
Design, Discussion and Documentation from
around the Java GIS world. Developer with a
hands-on approach available for consulting
and training.
Open Source Projects
• GeoServer, GeoTools, JTS, uDig
Open Source Geospatial Foundation
• Board Member, Incubation Chair
• GeoTools Project Officer
• Marketing Committee
Eclipse Foundation
• Technology Project Chair
1 May 2019 Open Source Geospatial Foundation 2

Why open source?
Setting the stage for open source procurement

How to make open source work out
• Go attend Paul Ramsey’s keynote
(or look online)
• Paul is really good at going through
the economics of open source and
looking at the systems that to help or
hinder open source success.
• http://blog.cleverelephant.ca/writings

• No money? Procurement is still for you
• Ian Turton has a great presentation you
should check out.
Earning you Support instead of Buying it
• Great hands on example of how the open
source social contract works and how you
can take part.
https://www.ianturton.com/talks/foss4ge

• Worried about licenses?
• A couple talks on “Understanding Open
Source” that look at how open source licenses
work, how they can be used together, and
some good examples of when an open source
license includes an obligation.
• And “Here to Help” looking at how software
foundations can help project teams get their
licenses right (building herd immunity)
• https://www.slideshare.net/jgarnett

• As a professional I tend to focus on risk:
• One of the biggest IT risks is procurement of
software and services
• This presentation looks at how open source
offers you greater control when selecting
software and services

Hot Dog
I bravely requested #GISChat share their favorite hot dog!

Photo by Sandy Ching on Unsplash

Commercial
Off The Shelf Software
When was the last time you bought software from a shelf?

Costco Hotdog
• That “COTS”co hotdog is great value
• Off the shelf hotdog!
• consistent repeatable experience (you know what you will get)
• suitable for bulk ordering
• Supply chain considerations
• But what goes into making your hot dog?
• wiener, bun, condiments

COTS
• Commercial off the shelf-software
• A great value when it fits your needs
• Share the development risk across a large install base
• Great at common tasks, customization may not be possible
• Sales teams ready to help with feature comparisons,
whitepapers, benchmarks, …
• A few drawbacks
• Strong business motivation for customer lock-in
• Healthy competition is required to encourage value
• Can be quite a challenge to select technology

Open Source compared to COTS
• Go ahead and check the software:
• fitness for purpose / software’s capabilities
• feature comparisons
• Benchmarks
• History of use in similar similar engagements
• Track record of successes and failures
• Check the expenses:
• ease of use (training costs)
• support
• update cycle
• Keep in mind
• open source projects are not always packaged as a “product”
• May not have sales or marketing material to check
• You are only getting a small part of the story

Develop In House Solution
Just the way mom (or dad) used to make it

Homemade Hotdog
• Many households make their own
• build exactly the hotdog you like
• But what goes into making your hot dog?
• wiener, bun, condiments, love
• can be expensive but it is just like “mom” made...
• Supplies:
• Choose based on quality, taste, cost – you have control
• We benefit from FDA administration of the supply chain
• Or choose the certified “organic” supply chain

Develop In-House
• In house custom development
• A great approach if you have developers on staff and are
comfortable with software development
• Although chances are your developers would like to use some
open source libraries …
• Some drawbacks
• Software development always has some risk
• Even if you are a software development shop, taking on custom
in house development can distract your attention from your
core business

Open Source compared to In-house
• Open source has many of same advantages
• The software can be adapted to fit your needs
• Cam offer a running start for your development team
• Start with 90% of the solution and implement the last 10%
• Some clear advantages
• Draw on experts from outside of your organization
• Shared maintenance and QA
• Some risks:
• You have to be comfortable with how licenses work
• Not every open source project is set up for collaboration
• If you “fork” (make a copy) you are back to in house
• This is a popular way to start out!
• Starting from open source can jumpstart your development
• Upgrading may be difficult if you made a copy

Boutique
Software Development
Getting an expert to build software just for your

417 MAGAZINE

Artisanal Hotdog Experience
• Delegating hotdog creation to a chef can be yummy
• Talent and inspiration play a part
• chief selects based on what is fresh / inspirational
• relationships with local farmers for table-to-plate experience

Boutique Software Development
• Using an expert to create custom software
• Can be a useful tradeoff between costs and risk
• Inviting bids from vendors?
• “Expression of Interest” shares research burden with vendors
• Provides a competitive process for contract selection
• Optimizes for larger projects, which are more prone to failure
• This is often the start of a long term relationship
• Keep in mind
• You lose direct control over the technology used
• Many solutions will be built on open source

Open Source gives you control
BEFORE:
vendor* à solution à technology
AFTER:
solution à technology à vendor*
• Open Source offers a different procurement workflow
• choose the most appropriate technology
• vendors compete on support and feature improvements
• open source offers a renegotiation of vendor relationship
• giving the customers more purchasing power

Evaluating Open Source Vendors
• A good service provider can really help
• Quickly benefit from open source
• Offer a bridge between your concerns and developer community
• Offer you a voice in project roadmap and development
• Remember your buying power
• Multiple vendors are competing for your dollar
• Competition is ongoing
• Take advantage of open source transparency
• You can check service providers work
• Some folks have expertise using the software
• Look for a history contributing fixes on behalf of their customers
• Recommend ”core contributors” that help run the projects
(using these vendors helps keep open source sustainable)

Service Providers are easy to check

Open Source Community

Wikimedia commons

Hotdog with Bratwurst
• Taking the hotdog template and adjusting
• Go beyond what was supplied since you have the recipe
• You can be a snob and select the ingredients you love
• bratwurst, bun, condiments, good taste
• Supplies:
• Chosen for substance and style

Evaluating Open Source Community
• Open Source gives you responsibility
• You are responsible for the technology you choose
• Provide unprecedented control
• “use at your own risk”
• Start by thinking of community as a partnership
• Take a similar level of care in research

Researching Participants
• Dig into who is working on the project
• Is it one individual? Statistically yes …
• Who do they work for?
• Spare time, or as their primary job function?

Open Source gives you visibility
• What organizations work on this project
• review each groups history like a vendor or potential partner
• are the companies from different industries?
• Mix industry or academia represented?
• Feel free to dig deeper
• perhaps the companies are all backed by the same funding source?
• Caution: open source may just be a publication option?
• Recognize subtle “vendor lock-in” when only one company
• Offers some insurance if they go out of business
• You may be their first opensource partner
• Is the organization your competitor?
• Open source collaboration, competition in the market
• Consider a software foundation for vendor neutral playground

Open Source gives you transparency
• Dig into the “commit” history
• How active is the project?
• Is it growing or shrinking?
• Do contributions come in from outside the core team?
• What industries are represented?
• Dig into the bug tracker
• Is the project “keeping up” with new bugs?
• What is the average time for a response?
• What is the oldest bug, why hasn’t it been closed

Take advantage of our checklist

The unexpected

The internet will surprise you
• Requirements specification is hard
• Did that meets your definition of a hotdog
• Using the sandwich grid I will define a hotdog as a “wiener taco”
• bending expectations for to meet a demanding environment
• a creative approach for a vegan friendly supply chain
• quality assurance is important chicken chocolate

Hotdog is a “wiener taco”
http://cuberule.com
It is not a question about bread
and the unique nature of
cylindrical beef. It is a
geometry problem.
Maura Judkis – Washington Post

Democracy Sausage
Australia provides my favorite hotdog

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS // CC BY-SA 4.0

Democracy Sausage
• They are actually not that great
• folded white bread, lucky if it holds together before you are done
• fried onion
• barbeque sauce
• They are part of a bigger picture
• Voting is mandatory in Australia, on a Saturday
• Groups put on “sausage sizzle” for when voting is done
• Brings folks together after politics has taken them apart

I choose to help build the world
• We are together in open source
• Open source helps everyone
• Work you do today, helps someone else tomorrow
• You can do more with open source
• Follow your expertise, and tag in others for help

Open Source
safer, superior, software
Photo by Clayton Cardinalli on Unsplash

democracysausage.org

May 1, 2019 Open Source Geospatial Foundation 48

Open Source Procurement Guide for GIS Software

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