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Intro to OpenSource Projects & Communities (Plenary)

Intro to OpenSource Projects & Communities (Plenary)

Oct 03, 2015

Description: What do you think an open source community is? What do we want our open source community to be? 

Leads: Dykki, Darius

To Join Remotely: 

Join the call: https://www.uberconference.com/info3285

Optional dial-in number: 716-293-6106

PIN: 63498

Rapporteur/Notetaker: Sandy Hawley

Notes from Session:

  • OpenLMIS Definition- opesource.org exploring key properties - 10 key criteria

  • GPL and APGL- one is politicized model, stronger statement - different than opensource + proprietary code together; this is not the case with OpenLMIS

  • Some shared purpose, some individual purpose - all depends on collaboration

  • Opensource creates a space for sharing, working together

  • Safety net- code is always there; countries always have it, can keep developing it (less risk for end clients)

  • DHIS2 and OMRS iHRIS - platforms evolved from being risky to more standard - supports local ownership, local innovation,  capacity building

  • We want to reinforce ownership with countries - OS enables this in a way proprietary approaches can't

  • OpenLMIS fills gap in supply chain open source technologies

  • OpenHIE- one example of opportunities for interoperability - key opportunities growing the "community of communities"

    • OpenMRS

    • DHIS2

    • iHRIS

    • ODK

    • OpenHIE

    • MoTech

    • CommCare

    • OpenEllis (labs)

    • OpenSRP (smart registry)

    • IVR, Resource Mapper, Rapidpro

  • Question- how do we bring/leverage the other opensource leaders to guide/collaborate with OpenLMIS for shared benefit?

  • GROUP ACTIVITY

    • What is working well?

      • we are all here 

      • working together

      • VIMS- having specific work projects to facilitate coordination 

      • use cases and deployments forced coordination (VIMS)

      • having real use cases and deployments

      • high level comms- everyone knows what everyone else is doing

      • common code base

      • starting to merge

      • increased interest in community

      • collaboration between diverse partners

      • new ideas coming in

      • community calls

    • What isn't working well?

      • how the community operates? lack of understanding

      • living up to the promise 

      • governance overhead is high, facilitation of getting people together

      • collaboration on architecture - how to evolve core from a technical perspective

      • documentation of implementations, how it has evolved

      • visibility and communication- milestones, learning, implementations

      • not enough country involvement - how do you ensure the voice of the consumer is heard?

      • code management

      • forks/forked code; branching (2 repos!)

      • balancing different stakeholder objectives (MOH vs Community)

      • contribution process

      • communication/duplication of effort

      • risk of unknown, role of follow on GHSC-PSM

      • Funding by donors creates power imbalance


    • What should we aspire to do?

      • having evangelists at different levels- donor, tech, country 

      • become a platform

      • resource/connector but not a gatekeeper

      • effective contribution methodology 

      • public, active repo

      • thriving tech community

      • architecture/product support 1-varied country needs; ease of use; low infrastructure environment

      • OpenLMIS Foundation

      • Country involvement in the community (and next community meeting)

      • Shared agreements on how we work together - code; decision; etc.

      • sustainability

      • everyone working from same code base

      • increased client engagement

      • stronger linkages to OpenHIE Community (resource sharing)

      • having opportunities to work together - be planned w/coordination in mind

      • short-term goals vs. long term goals; articulating inculcating these

OpenLMIS: the global initiative for powerful LMIS software