Software Forge

Description

"A software forge is an extensible web-based platform that integrates best-of-breed software tools for collaborative software development. The best-known example of a software forge on the Internet is SourceForge, which hosts the largest collection of open source projects of any of the forges. Other examples are Berlios, Codehaus, and Tigris.

A software forge has two main views: a project portfolio view that lets a developer browse and find projects, and a project view that provides a developer with tools to work on a specific project. " (http://www.riehle.org/publications/2008/bringing-open-source-best-practices-into-corporations-using-a-software-forge/)

Characteristics

"three key characteristics of open source projects:

Open source is said to be based on the principle of meritocracy. We have found that the principle of meritocracy is used as an umbrella term for the following three more specific principles of open source:

Egalitarian. Everyone can contribute, because open source projects are accessible on the Internet and the project community is typically inclusive to anyone who wants to help.

=> Project members need to be inclusive of whoever comes along to help rather than viewing them as a foreign element. Documenting the project with future readers in mind is a core aspect of this.

Meritocratic. Contributions are judged transparently and based on their merits. All decisions are discussed publicly on mailing lists and can be looked up for reference.

=> Project members need to realize that important input and contributions can come from all across the organization based on perspectives that may be unfamiliar to the original developers.

Self-organizing. There is typically no defined process imposed from the outside so the project community itself determines how to go about its work. "

=> projects need to be accommodating of their volunteers and respectful of their time. (http://www.riehle.org/publications/2008/bringing-open-source-best-practices-into-corporations-using-a-software-forge/)

Discussion

A forge can be thought of as an attempt to formalise those three principles without constraining them – and hence losing their power.

"These principles are in stark contrast to how most corporations manage their internal software development processes:

Assigned jobs. Top-down resource assignment determines who works on what project or which piece of the software. Thus, volunteer contributions to other projects are virtually unheard of.

Status rather than merit. A hierarchy of junior and senior developers and architects implies status and usually determines who has the final word in design and implementation decisions.

Imposed processes. A process definition department within the organization determines which software development process to follow and it is binding to all projects." (http://www.riehle.org/publications/2008/bringing-open-source-best-practices-into-corporations-using-a-software-forge/)

More Information

Source of the above: SAP White Paper: Bringing Open Source Best Practices into Corporations Using a Software Forge

(Via Glyn Moody at http://www.computerworlduk.com/toolbox/open-source/blogs/index.cfm?blogid=14&entryid=1052)

See our entry on Open Development