[Process] collaboration with other non-profits?

[Tom Hoffman]

As the OSAF seems to be carving out a new niche for iteslf as a non-profit
software development firm, I was wondering if you have thought about
collaborating with other non-profits entities.

I am tech coordinator (and Zope developer) that is working on a new design
research project (with a laundry list of Universities and Foundations) to do
design research on improving the 'information infrastructure' of schools. I
think Chandler and its architecture might make a great foundation for some of
our work with teachers.

We once Chandler releases start appearing, of course we would be able to start
testing and adapting it to our needs. However, I don't think I can convince
"the suits," i.e., the professors running the research project, that it is
safe to base to base our work on an open source project that we don't have
any sort of formal relationship with.

The general outlines of a relationship might look like this:

* OSAF sets aside some time to meet with our developers and get them started
on Chandler's architecture;

* We provide OSAF with a few well supported and documented test sites (our
participating schools);

* Our developers & project managers get the reassurance of feeling like there
is someone standing behind the architecture;

* OSAF eventually get a formal design research report on the efficacy of their
software in improving the culture of teaching and learning in inner city
schools in Providence and Chicago.

Is this something OSAF might be interested in exploring?

--Tom Hoffman
http://tuttlesvc.org

[Mitchell Baker]

Tom

Many thanks for the thoughtful suggestion. It seems to me that
universities are a natural fit with OSAF, and other non-profits may be
as well (depends a bit on the information needs of other non-profits,
which I'm sure cover the entire spectrum.) So a relationship such as
you describe could be very beneficial.

Can you provide any additional information about your organization?
Others at OSAF may disagree, but right now I don't think we're quite
far enough along to do much more than make contact and learn about your
organization. Our pressing task at OSAF right now is to get basic
information about our architecture, APIs, planning and decision-making
to date out to the entire community. We're working on this, but are
still in the early stages. For example, we're not yet at a point where
we can crisply get others started with Chandler's architecture, though
we hope to make progress quickly. It will probably take a few early
releases of Chandler architectural elements and basic functionality to
get a clearer idea if Chandler will be a good foundation for your
project and how we might work together.

So I suggest we connect again once Chandler is a bit more developed. In
the meantime, any pointers to information about your organization would
be great.

Mitchell

Post by Tom Hoffman
As the OSAF seems to be carving out a new niche for iteslf as a non-profit
software development firm, I was wondering if you have thought about
collaborating with other non-profits entities.
I am tech coordinator (and Zope developer) that is working on a new design
research project (with a laundry list of Universities and Foundations) to do
design research on improving the 'information infrastructure' of schools. I
think Chandler and its architecture might make a great foundation for some of
our work with teachers.
We once Chandler releases start appearing, of course we would be able to start
testing and adapting it to our needs. However, I don't think I can convince
"the suits," i.e., the professors running the research project, that it is
safe to base to base our work on an open source project that we don't have
any sort of formal relationship with.
* OSAF sets aside some time to meet with our developers and get them started
on Chandler's architecture;
* We provide OSAF with a few well supported and documented test sites (our
participating schools);
* Our developers & project managers get the reassurance of feeling like there
is someone standing behind the architecture;
* OSAF eventually get a formal design research report on the efficacy of their
software in improving the culture of teaching and learning in inner city
schools in Providence and Chicago.
Is this something OSAF might be interested in exploring?
--Tom Hoffman
http://tuttlesvc.org
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