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MapServer: How to create a successful open source project in 15 short years.

MapServer: How to create a successful open source project in 15 short years. A Case Study. MapServer: The 5 ¢ Tour. A server-side application for: Making pretty maps Doing spatial queries Via home grown or OGC protocols a nd it does it pretty darn fast…. “MapServer is strong like ox.”

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MapServer: How to create a successful open source project in 15 short years.

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  1. MapServer: How to create a successful open source project in 15 short years. A Case Study

  2. MapServer: The 5¢ Tour • A server-side application for: • Making pretty maps • Doing spatial queries • Via home grown or OGC protocols and it does it pretty darn fast… “MapServer is strong like ox.” Paul Ramsey, 2008

  3. ForNet – Circa 1995 • NASA funded project at the University of Minnesota, Dept. of Forest Resources • Delivery of spatial data to field staff • MapServer came about as a means to an end • imgserv + mapserv

  4. Minnesota DNR – Circa 1998 • MapServer development moves to the MnDNR • Mainly to support an application called the “Recreation Compass” • Lots of functionality added, stuff like: • road shield symbology • integrated rasters • truetype text

  5. NASA TerraSIP – Circa 1999 • UMN is approached about taking on MapServer and open sourcing it • Development expands: • Core code • Support for multi & hyperspectral imagery • Started using source control • Version 3.0 is released with an open source license

  6. The MapServer License • Based on the MIT/X11 license • Choice had a significant impact on the ultimate success of the project. Why? • it wasn’t GPL • allows basically unrestricted use, even for commercial purposes • Based on the belief that if you create a quality project then the community will want to contribute their modifications back

  7. The Canadians are Coming • 2000 was really a watershed year • Versions 3.3 and 3.4 of MapServer are released • MapScript is introduced • A small Canadian firm, DM Solutions Group adopts MapServer and starts contributing in a significant way (PHP/MapScript & Windows support)

  8. The Growth Years: Circa 2001-05 • We see lots of change in a very short time: • PostGIS support • Initial WMS interface • 4.x series begins • Large community is developing and supported three MapServer user meetings • A formal governance group is established as the Technical Steering Committee (TSC)

  9. MapServer User Group Meetings • Can’t underestimate the positive impact these had on the community • Attendance nearly doubled year-to-year • MUMs are no more, replaced by FOSS4G

  10. MapServer Governance • After the MUM3 conference (2005), developers sat down to discuss: • Formation a technical steering committee • Adoption of a Request For Comment (RFC) process for software change • A series of governance documents, including: • TSC guidelines and bootstrapping • Committer guidelines

  11. MapServer Cheetah • Very short-lived (like 2 days) • Result of discussions with Autodesk • Two (significant) problems: • decision making behind closed doors • underestimated the importance of the MapServer “brand” and the role of the MapServer community • Ultimately failed as proposed, but had some positive outcomes

  12. OSGeo MapServer • One of eight founding projects • Emerged from incubation in 2008 • MapServer TSC became the MapServer Project Steering Committee (PSC) • Transitioned project infrastructure from UMN to OSGeo Server as part of incubation • Several MapServer PSC members are (or have been) on the OSGeo Board

  13. The MapServer Brand • Ok, this should probably have been a much earlier step but… • mapserver.org • a new logo

  14. MapServer Success • High quality, fast and flexible web-mapping platform • Vibrant user and developer communities • Encouraged the adoption of OGC standards • Facilitated the adoption of other Open Source geospatial tools • Important player in the development of a much broader geospatial community

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