Comments on: Funding free software projects

By: OSS project management: Divide and Conquer? | RTFM

OSS project management: Divide and Conquer? | RTFM — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:50:04 +0000

[...] Shuttleworth is testing an interesting theory of project managment. He’s divided a development effort between two individual teams in hopes [...]

By: John Peterson

John Peterson — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:29:06 +0000

Projects are like snowballs, you’ve got to pack a snowball and then roll it manually for a bit before it has the mass to roll itself. Like with a snowball, you should start out small, as trying to pack an armful of snow together is pretty futile. Get two bright minds together and get some cohesion there before trying to add more to the team. I’d suggest that this initial team be made up of one potential customer and one developer. If you want to accelerate the process, pack a bunch of competing “snowballs” at once and see how each evolves. You can then pick and choose ideas from each team. Never underestimate the power of competition in a demographic of individuals with egos the size of Texas.

You can’t really expect much real code to be written in the beginning. A certain amount of time needs to be spent in idea generation, but once a base feature set is agreed upon, you can move into the development stage. It is here that your “cats” will usually run wild, because they will still be in brainstorming mode. Here are a few ideas for keeping your “cats” not only moving, but moving in the right direction.

Divide your list of desired features into two sets (version 1 and 2 as Mike Lewis suggested above). This will for the most part keep your developers grounded. During development, if a developer comes up with a bright idea, you make the decision about the importance of the feature by assigning it to a version. Just like a box of apples, we humans have a tendency to go for the shiniest ones first. It’s not until you limit a developer’s options to the less desirable ones that they will get to the dirty work. Keeping the possibility open for a version 2 keeps developers motivated, because they have hopes of pushing through version 1 and getting to the shiny apples in version 2. Not that there won’t be shiny apples in version 1, but the shiniest will be consumed first and what’s left is usually the majority of the work.

When the shiny ones are all gone and you’re down to the less interesting features, the developers may have a hard time staying motivated. As Barry Schwartz states, “with so many options to choose from, people find it difficult to choose at all”. As the leader, it is your role to make the hard decisions; to reduce options and free your developers up from this paralysis of indecision. Make a priority list and review and revise it frequently.

There is one thing that developers absolutely thrive on: Feedback. There is nothing they enjoy more than getting to show off what they’ve accomplished. Every week or two, check in with your developers and have them provide you with an overview of their progress (or lack thereof). Ideally, they should provide a daily status report (via an email or a blog posting), so that you can rescue them early on from any ruts they may have fallen into.

As a developer, there is one more underlying motivation that drives me on. I want whatever I develop to be used. The more people it can potentially be used by and the more they may use it, the better. It is for this reason that I find user interface development (especially on the desktop) to be the most exciting area in the field of computing, because it really does cater to the largest audience out there.

By: Boris

Boris — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 08:52:50 +0000

We would like to get hold of Mark Shuttleworth with regards to the tranport project that was published in the newspaper yesterday – we have been involved in this for the past 5 years and have great vision for the business but have not been able to get the finance – please can we send our business plan for perusal.
Thanks very much,
Boris Miller and Rob Louw

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:33:00 +0000

So, Mark: it’s four years down the road. Did your new team organization keep the project on track? Did you need additional innovations?

Is this http://www.schooltool.org? That project looks to have achieved core functionality, and on-going M&E seems pretty healthy, judging by ohloh.

By: Paul H Roux

Paul H Roux — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:07:07 +0000

Hi Mark

I have sold my house in Parow North and then decided to buy another one that needed attention also in Parow North for R1 000 000.00 through the bank. I started renovating the house and have got about 70% complete. Unfortunately my funds have run out as I have used my profit of R700 000.00 of the house I sold and now I stand to lose everthing I own and worked for if I do not get an investor of some sort to help me out. My intention for the renovated house was to turn it into a guest house as I have planned it so to have 15 bedrooms with en-suites and a extra bathroom with a spa bath, toilet and shower already installed. The house is entirely designed by myself with each bedroom and room done with fond memories of old and new. My business books are also behind and have to be updated for the last four years.I also need advice and help on that. Is there any chance that you know of someone looking to invest in this type of venture to help me out on saving my exciting and profitable venture. The guest house would be especially good for 2010. I know this has nothing to do with pc’s and the internet but I really need help in making this venture work and have already got so far. It would be such shame to see this all fall through the mat. Please see if you could assist me. I am available on Cell: 082 6121 983 or Tel: 021 9304040. Thanking you. Regards P H Roux

By: Zelda

Zelda — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 07:24:16 +0000

Myself and two partners started a company a year ago. It started as a hobby on the side line based on our passions for the mining industry… What a mistake!!! It has spiraled out of control!!!

Currently we are developing software for the mining industry. The project we are busy with has been validated for R110,000,000.00… I again say: myself and two partners… We do not have the resources. We have the clients. We have the market. We have the software. We have orders. But, ourselves cannot do this, as this is our hobby and we love our jobs!!! We do not know what to do…

At this stage we are praying that something will happen and a mining house will turn around and buy the entire package – even if we are only offered R30,000,000.00. Sounds desperate – we are!!!

Can you assist us with guidance? I know the logical solution will be to quit our current jobs – we are all high earners – and go for this project full on, but then we have to appoint IT personnel. Money is not a problem. I do not like this idea however, as we are desperate and in desperate times one do not think clearly and I am scared we will appoint incompotent people. I have investigated the salary scale for the IT skills we require and decided if we take this route, we will go into the recruitment market above the scale to pull in the best, but we wary…

What should we do??? Should we go for the option of R30,000,000.00, cut our losses and move to the next two projects we have lined up or should we go for this project and run all three together with a company of 50 people?

This is not our first project. Our first project we handed to another engineering company for FREE on a silver platter yesterday afternoon – estimated value of R40,000,000.00. We do not have the resources… This was the only option as our current project is taking up all our free time and we were scared of losing face in the industry – we have already made a name for ourselves.

Company name:
the visual component

Company partners:
Metallurgical Engineer (Business Risk Management Consultant),
Attorney (Business Legal Liability Consultant),
ex Mine Inspector (Mining Production and Safety Behaviour Expert)

Company scope:
Legal risk management
We look at legal aspects in the mining industry. Aspects where behaviour turns the legal aspect into a HIGH risk. Knowing risk management, it will be best to terminate the risk than to tolerate or treat it. This however is not always possible as the risk arise from a legal aspect – thus it is law. The safety behaviour can be addressed, but in South Africa we have been mining for so long and behaviour changes is not always easy and/or effective – we have a culture of production and not safety… We develop software that “basically” addresses these legal aspects by controlling the behaviour risks – thus, we terminate the risks and enhance safety behaviour…

As you should know, Anglo Platinum closed 5 of their shafts a couple of weeks ago to address these safety behaviour issues – they retrained all their employees and lost R750.00 PER SECOND in production. This was a drastical step and noted internationally!!! Needless to say they are one of our biggest clients…

We need help!!!

Managing Director

By: hendrik

hendrik — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 19:20:10 +0000

Hi Mark ,
We have a brilliant idea that has nothing to do with pc`s and internet but rather an unique method of selling properties internally, but we need funding to kick start it.

Can you assist us here we do not talk big amounts,
If you interested please come back to us

Hendrik bluegloo.com

By: edward meyer

edward meyer — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 10:49:59 +0000

i started a shower door company with 15 years experience in the industry. my company has been awarded some big projects and this has affected my cash flow i dont know where to turn to, can someone please help OH YES I did mark’s mom’s house in d’ville.

Regards
Eddy Meyer
0725015501

By: Sheldon Smuts

Sheldon Smuts — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:17:49 +0000

I am semi computer illiterate and heard that you have a anti virus programme for people like me.
We tried Norton and find that besides wasting our money, it is impossible to operate.
Can you advise
Thanks

Sheldon

By: Ernst vd Merwe

Ernst vd Merwe — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 20:15:55 +0000

I have heard about the probability to get support. I have investigated investments markets, money, business and production cycles since 1992. I have researched the facilities available to bank clients worldwide. I have analize the role of bond originators,banks and the impact of interest and tax on the very famous ratio interest and principal amounts. After finishing my masters degree in economics I have also carefully research exhange rates and inflation with the idea to formulate impact. I had also try to minimise risk by having that included in my ideas. I have manage to enable myself with to master Visual Basic Programming. Here I have tried to intensify my knowlegde on objects. Basically the outcome make me realize that especially objects are entrenched by Microsoft in their effort to make money. I believe that moving back to “machine language” restrictions because of versions of objects can be breached. I have concentrated a great deal on multidimensional arrays, .dat files etc in persuing my dream of having an integrative calculating program in supporting best decisions referring to financial schedules. A program has been written by me to +- 90 completion. I want to make it available to people who intent to buy property or business. My idea is have it available on the internet.

Where, who and when can I make a presentation to, to unlock gold!

Your help will be of uncalculatable worth!