A short introduction

Tue Mar 15 11:09:54 PST 2005

Yup...that's what agile development is all about, and Michael Herman
and others know more about this than I do.

And isn't it great that Firefox is having growing pains?  That's how
we know it's alive and vital and fresh, like my kids.  Internet
Explorer on the other hand is infected with viruses, holes, leaks and
band aids.  Looks like life at the other end of the spectrum  :-)

Chris

On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 19:53:20 +0100, Lucas Gonzalez <lgs0a at yahoo.es> wrote:
> Yes, and it's also true that an extremely powerful new step would be to
> have "fleshspace" open space, so that "users" and "developers" of the
> software can actually work together from the start, and understand each
> other much faster and much better.
>
> Yes, quite a few software developers have close to zero social skills
> (or so the myth goes), but the same can be said of those doctors who
> can only talk about their beloved Medical Science.
>
> Might be a nice mix to see.  And all that software, open for all to
> use, and complex enought to need caretakers who'd work for a fee ...
> hmm! :-)
>
> btw, the Firefox browser (http://www.getfirefox.com) is said to be
> having growth pains - 25 million downloads in 99 days, and counting!
> You're of course free to go on using Internet Explorer. ;)
>
> Lucas
>
>  --- Chris Corrigan <chris.corrigan at gmail.com> escribió:
> > It's no accident that Open Source sounds like Open Space.  Linux, the
> > open source operating system (http://www.linux.org/), Open Office
> > (http://www.openoffice.org/) (a free suite of wordprocessing,
> > spreadsheet and database tools), the browser Firefox
> > (http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/) and many other pieces of
> > software are developed in a completely open way, in an ongoing
> > collaborative Open Space.  It's all self-organizing and requires very
> > few hubs.  Check http://sourceforge.net/ which is the home of open
> > source development on the web and is basically a huge, ongoing open
> > space meeting where developers can drop in, propose projects, work on
> > existing projects, contribute a tiny fix or a whole new chunk of
> > code...
> >
> > Open Source is redefining the marketplace, and Microsoft and other
> > large commercial companies are feeling the heat.  The success of
> > Firefox is pushing Internet Explorer to a new release, and Linux is
> > beginning to give Windows a run for it's money.  Many web servers now
> > run on LInux systems, because it is so much more adaptable and nearly
> > immune to viruses and malicious use.  Every time a problem crops up,
> > someone posts it somewhere and hundreds of developers go to work on
> > it.
> >
> > It all looks a bit geeky, but the fact is that now you don't have to
> > pay for basic computer software anymore, if you choose.  And you can
> > contribute to Open Source by using the software, writing code (if
> > that's what you do) or offering $20 for someone to fix a bug or
> > develop a feature you need (if writing code is not your thing).
> >
> > What is happening to open source is inspiring new ways of thinking
> > about philanthropy, collaboration, markets, community development and
> > a myriad of other fields.
> >
> > Chris
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 12:17:10 +0100, Lucas Gonzalez <lgs0a at yahoo.es>
> > wrote:
> > > Hi Tom
> > >
> > > > If I understand what you mean "bring the system in one room" to
> > be
> > > > bringing the stakeholders together in the place where the work is
> > to
> > > > be done, then yes.
> > >
> > > I don't know much about software developement for such huge things
> > as,
> > > say, a hospital information system.
> > >
> > > I know a little about how a hospital works - but so do most people
> > -
> > > and it's complex: many different people doing different things and
> > > asking for different pieces of data all the time (and I mean ALL
> > the
> > > time).  And most of the times you have to change the engine of the
> > > plane while it's flying.
> > >
> > > I would guess you have to develop specifications, write the
> > software,
> > > test it, evaluate it - I guess open space "sessions" for each of
> > those?
> > >  Would you do smaller open space gatherings around "the broad
> > picture"
> > > and also about smaller "facets"?  Those who care will come in any
> > case,
> > > they say.
> > >
> > > The ant-nest picture I can imagine is quite interesting, with the
> > heart
> > > and toenail specialists and software composers all breathing in and
> > out
> > > of their places within the hospital, also in and out of the
> > gathering
> > > room (as part of the hospital), and much of the time in open space.
> > >
> > > > There are other interesting approaches that have
> > > > bearing on this - notably the so-called agile, or lightweight,
> > > > development methodologies. Agile development is predicated on
> > short
> > > > bursts of activity, with various checks and balances to ensure
> > work
> > > > is on task or able to respond to changes in project's business
> > > context
> > > > - not the least of which is garnering feedback from stakeholders.
> > >
> > > I agree, and I also think feedback runs both ways.  There was this
> > > quote about a person filling up a glass of water: as the system
> > > specialists put it, you *can't* just fill up the glass - rather,
> > you
> > > enter a system in which you control the water flow and the level of
> > > water in the glass, as you see it, controls *you*.  Then the water
> > you
> > > drink is good or bad and that's another loop.
> > >
> > > > I can see agile development, open space and open source as
> > > > significant mechanisms for the production of high quality, high
> > value
> > > > software systems in a short period of time. Regarding bringing it
> > all
> > > > in one room, I'm imagining a company set up as a ongoing
> > "creative
> > > > space" where work and decision making is framed within a series
> > of
> > > > open space meetings, each focussing on a particular broad set of
> > > > issues. I could be misunderstanding the use of open space here -
> > I'll
> > > > readily admit I'm a bit of a dreamer.. :)
> > >
> > > My bet here is you'd like to try and you'd get help from the list.
> > How
> > > to start?
> > >
> > > Lucas
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________
> > > Renovamos el Correo Yahoo!: ¡250 MB GRATIS!
> > > Nuevos servicios, más seguridad
> > > http://correo.yahoo.es
> > >
> > > *
> > > *
> > > ==========================================================
> > > OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > > ------------------------------
> > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> > > view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
> > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
> > >
> > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
> > > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > -------------------------
> > CHRIS CORRIGAN
> > Consultation - Facilitation
> > Open Space Technology
> >
> > Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
> > Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
> >
> > *
> > *
> > ==========================================================
> > OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > ------------------------------
> > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> > view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
> > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
> >
> > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
> > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
> >
>
> ______________________________________________
> Renovamos el Correo Yahoo!: ¡250 MB GRATIS!
> Nuevos servicios, más seguridad
> http://correo.yahoo.es
>
> *
> *
> ==========================================================
> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> ------------------------------
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>

--
-------------------------
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist