MeeGo Case Study

Zeeshan Chughtai Vajahat Ali Niazi

Topics Covered
Introduction Evaluating Open Source Software (MeeGo) Participation in an Open-source software (OSS) community Analyzing MeeGo community according to the Open Source way Conclusion

Introduction
Linux-based Open Source mobile operating system project. Integration of Moblin and Maemo. Used in Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), Netbooks, Nettops and Embedded Devices. Initial release 26 May 2010. Programmed in C++.

Introduction
27 September 2011 ,Announced by Intel employee Imad Sousou that in collaboration with Samsung MeeGo will be replaced by Tizen during 2012.

Evaluating Open Source Software

Project Longevity and Market Penetration? Who else is using it? Does it has Strong Backing? How extensive is the project's Ecosystem? Can you work with these people/Community?

Project Longevity and Market Penetration?

Apache HTTP Server( 1995,In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone) Apache Tomcat(1999-Now) Media Wiki(25 January 2002, OSSD Course Page is being handled using media wiki) Android(2008-Now) MeeGo (2010-2011)

 http://www.visionmobile.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2011/10/VM_Tizen.jpg

Who else is using it?

Nokia (Nokia N900) only Some of devices by Asus ,Dell,Acer,Hp,Toshiba, Aava Mobile.

Does it has Strong Backing?

2010-11 -> Nokia + Intel 2011- Continue -> Intel + Samsung (Tizen not MeeGo)

How extensive is the project's Ecosystem?

The community and the people surrounding an open source project is its heart and its most important core component. A thriving community as can be measured through its discussion forums, user groups, events, blogs and spin-off projects

Participation in an Open-source software (OSS) Community

Prepare Get to know your community Be a team player

Prepare
Play to your strengths. Estimate your time commitment. Check your employment contract.

Get to know your community

Understand the entrance conditions Understand the structure of the community Understand the role of constructive criticism Get to know the People Understand the communications channels Learn about 'Poisonous People's

Be a team player
Communicate what you are working on Acknowledge resources you use and their creators Give back Plan an exit strategy Retire Gracefully

Analyzing MeeGo community according to the Open Source way

Open Source Community, Simplified
Study conducted by Max Kanat-Alexander On February 1st, 2011 a. Retaining Contributors
i. ii. iii. iv. a. b. c. d. e. Dont freeze the trunk for long periods. Turnover is inevitable. Respond to contributions immediately. Be extremely kind and visibly appreciative. A list of easy starting projects. Create and document communication channels. Excellent, complete, and simple documentation. Make all this documentation easy to find. Be written in a popular programming language.

b. Removing the Barriers

MeeGo Contribution Guidelines

Code contributions should come in the form of patches to MeeGo. Have Well Defined Packaging Guidelines documentation MeeGo Release Schedules
The iterative development model - weekly cycles Develop Test Release

Contributors should follow the MeeGo requirements and feature process.

Red Hat Group Study

about creating and nurturing communities of contributors

Tactics
Tactics are the ideas, plans, methods, and means used to accomplish a goal. In MeeGo, the strict yet clever packaging guidelines are a strong-arm tactic that enforces the MeeGo strategy of good packaging of only free and open source software.

Strategy
Strategy focuses on setting goals and which groups can obtain the goals. Once the "who, what, where, when, and why" is decided, tactics takes over as the "how.

Continued
MeeGo Strategies are: Strongest OS candidate for any mobile device vendor. Praised platform for mobile application development. Neutral project developed openly by multiple stakeholders. Worldwide community of individuals, nonprofits, and companies. Great help to marketing activities of MeeGo stakeholders.

Continued
Planets and Blogs
A Blog is a mix of personal and project writing that comes from a participant or contributor. MeeGo Planet is good example, with blogs aggregated from willing contributors. It is a mix of languages, skill levels, topics and project interest.

Leaderless Organizations
Decentralized Wikipedia is a decentralized organization Encyclopedia Britannica is a classic centralized organization. MeeGo is maintaining its own Wiki pages.

Continued
Version Control
To keep track of differences in versions of content. MeeGo is using a GIT New generation Source Code Version Control. It was developed to manage Linux Kernel development. Being used in Android, Linux kernel, QT, Kde etc.

Mailing Lists
Have to Subscribe Dont manage it by hand, use some list management software MeeGo is maintaining good mailing listing. Around nine different kind of mailing lists are being maintained.

Continued
IRC / Real-Time Chat Systems
Good forum where users and developers can ask each other questions and get instant responses. MeeGo uses IRC for different purposes.
Real time conversations Meetings Discussions Troubleshooting Collaboration etc.

Continued
Bug Tracking
Can be used to track new feature requests. One time tasks Unsolicited patches Report a Bug MeeGo is using well known Bugzilla.

Content v. Code Repositories

Code is a specialized form of content One thing is similar which is the ability to return to a point in time and branch from there. The main challenge for MeeGo is to properly bridge Drupal, MeeGo.com's content management system (CMS), and the forum system to make [Single Sign-On (SSO)] work.

Continued
Open Marketing
No secret discussions on brand tactics. Just talk about Project strengths, weaknesses, brand position. Use social tools.
Blogging Publicly displayed and discussed content and code committing Mailing lists IRC All voice sessions are logged and available to everyone 100% totally accountable discussions Radically transparent

Again MeeGo is following those.

Conclusion
Fulfilled Promise of Openness MeeGo is following all the important standards of Open Source Software Development. MeeGo Community is made around well known guidelines. To engage new contributors, Its very important to be active, have good and easily accessible documentation, allow weekly updates and setup all the essential tools for communication and contribution purposes.

http://www.visionmobile.com/blog/2010/11/the-meego-progress-report-a-or-d/