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How can we get the widest impact
   out of software projects?
           NICAR 2013
           Rich Gordon
The problem:
 much code is never re-used
  Dan Schultz
  We keep
  reinventing the
  wheel.

  ¡°Wouldn't it be
  nice if all these
  new wheels could                                         Alberto Ibarguen
  be used again and                                        "We want to see actual
  improved upon                                            use with actual readers
  over time?¡±                                              in actual communities
                                                           with sustainability."
? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
How can we measure
 the success of a software project?
 ? Key question: Do end users make use of it?
 ? Metrics:
      ¨C Downloads
      ¨C Installations
      ¨C Continued development activity
      ¨C Posts to project discussion boards/email lists
      ¨C Addition of one or more developers
      ¨C Releases beyond initial version
      ¨C Buzz /attention / high-profile successes

? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
They wrote the book
 on open-source success
 ? Studied 174,000 projects shared on                                                 Charles
   SourceForge                                                                        Schweik

 ? Surveyed 1,400 open source developers
 ? Success = 3+ releases, value for ¡°at least                               Robert
                                                                            English
   a few users¡±
      Open source projects: Success vs. abandonment
  Could assess success vs. abandonment                     83,694
  Abandoned: initiation stage (pre-1st release)            37,320   44.6%
  Abandoned: growth stage                                  30,592   36.6%
  Success                                                  15,782   18.9%
? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
The framework
 for evaluating success




? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
What matters:
 Schweik / English research
 ?   Clearly defined vision
                                                                     Charles
 ?   Clearly defined audience                                        Schweik


 ?   Well-articulated and clear goals
 ?   Modular software design                               Robert
                                                           English

 ?   Tasks of various sizes are available
     for developers to work on


? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
What matters:
 Schweik / English research
 ? Good project communication
      ¨C A good website                                               Charles
                                                                     Schweik
      ¨C Bug-tracking system
      ¨C Email list, forum or other communication
        system                                             Robert
                                                           English
      ¨C Documentation
 ? Developers are users, too:
   ¡°Developers participate because they
   themselves are users of the software
   or because the organization they work
   for depends on it.¡±
? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
The biggest surprise:
 Schweik / English research
 ? When a project added a developer ¡­
                                                                     Charles
   58% of the added developers were on                               Schweik
   a different continent than the lead
   developer
                                                           Robert
 ? The Internet has enabled ¡°intellectual                  English
   matchmaking¡±
 ? ¡°Regardless of where a programmer
   lives in the world, people can find
   software projects¡± related to their
   needs.
? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
What doesn¡¯t matter:
 Schweik / English research
 ? Which operating system the code
                                                                     Charles
   was written for                                                   Schweik

 ? How many developers were
   involved                                                Robert
                                                           English
 ? Formalized governance system
      ¨C Most open-source projects are small (not
        like Linux)
 ? Which open-source license was
   used
? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
Different forms
 of open-source licenses
                         ¡°Copyleft¡± licenses                                                   ¡°Non-copyleft¡± licenses
        (open-source restrictions are passed on with the code)                               (restrictions not passed on)

   Athero                                                                                                             Public
    GPL                   GPL                  LGPL                  MPL                  Apache             BSD/MIT domain


   GPL applies      Copyleft applies       Copyleft applies        File-level copyleft; ¡°Do what you like,
    even if you   to entire application; to software ¡°library¡±;        common for           don¡¯t sue us;       ¡°Do what you like,
    interact with     if application         the problem,          browser software.     if you contribute        don¡¯t sue us¡±
the code remotely contains GPL code            especially       If you incorporate code    patented code
     (and don¡¯t    you must release       for JS projects, is into a new file, you can     to the project,
  incorporate in      source code          defining what a        keep those changes       we can use it,
     your code)     (not just binaries)        ¡°library¡± is             to yourself              too
                       under GPL



 As you move toward the left of this graph, the restrictions on commercial use become tighter; toward the
 right, limitations are removed until you get to ¡°public domain¡¯ ¨C code anyone can use without restriction


? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
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Making software-projects-successful-nicar-2013

  • 1. How can we get the widest impact out of software projects? NICAR 2013 Rich Gordon
  • 2. The problem: much code is never re-used Dan Schultz We keep reinventing the wheel. ¡°Wouldn't it be nice if all these new wheels could Alberto Ibarguen be used again and "We want to see actual improved upon use with actual readers over time?¡± in actual communities with sustainability." ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 3. How can we measure the success of a software project? ? Key question: Do end users make use of it? ? Metrics: ¨C Downloads ¨C Installations ¨C Continued development activity ¨C Posts to project discussion boards/email lists ¨C Addition of one or more developers ¨C Releases beyond initial version ¨C Buzz /attention / high-profile successes ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 4. They wrote the book on open-source success ? Studied 174,000 projects shared on Charles SourceForge Schweik ? Surveyed 1,400 open source developers ? Success = 3+ releases, value for ¡°at least Robert English a few users¡± Open source projects: Success vs. abandonment Could assess success vs. abandonment 83,694 Abandoned: initiation stage (pre-1st release) 37,320 44.6% Abandoned: growth stage 30,592 36.6% Success 15,782 18.9% ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 5. The framework for evaluating success ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 6. What matters: Schweik / English research ? Clearly defined vision Charles ? Clearly defined audience Schweik ? Well-articulated and clear goals ? Modular software design Robert English ? Tasks of various sizes are available for developers to work on ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 7. What matters: Schweik / English research ? Good project communication ¨C A good website Charles Schweik ¨C Bug-tracking system ¨C Email list, forum or other communication system Robert English ¨C Documentation ? Developers are users, too: ¡°Developers participate because they themselves are users of the software or because the organization they work for depends on it.¡± ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 8. The biggest surprise: Schweik / English research ? When a project added a developer ¡­ Charles 58% of the added developers were on Schweik a different continent than the lead developer Robert ? The Internet has enabled ¡°intellectual English matchmaking¡± ? ¡°Regardless of where a programmer lives in the world, people can find software projects¡± related to their needs. ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 9. What doesn¡¯t matter: Schweik / English research ? Which operating system the code Charles was written for Schweik ? How many developers were involved Robert English ? Formalized governance system ¨C Most open-source projects are small (not like Linux) ? Which open-source license was used ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013
  • 10. Different forms of open-source licenses ¡°Copyleft¡± licenses ¡°Non-copyleft¡± licenses (open-source restrictions are passed on with the code) (restrictions not passed on) Athero Public GPL GPL LGPL MPL Apache BSD/MIT domain GPL applies Copyleft applies Copyleft applies File-level copyleft; ¡°Do what you like, even if you to entire application; to software ¡°library¡±; common for don¡¯t sue us; ¡°Do what you like, interact with if application the problem, browser software. if you contribute don¡¯t sue us¡± the code remotely contains GPL code especially If you incorporate code patented code (and don¡¯t you must release for JS projects, is into a new file, you can to the project, incorporate in source code defining what a keep those changes we can use it, your code) (not just binaries) ¡°library¡± is to yourself too under GPL As you move toward the left of this graph, the restrictions on commercial use become tighter; toward the right, limitations are removed until you get to ¡°public domain¡¯ ¨C code anyone can use without restriction ? Rich Gordon | Knight Lab, Northwestern University 2013