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Forum rules: Please, before asking something see the documentation wiki or use the forum search function.
 #6437  by peroni
 
Hello guys,
We use Thunderbird on more than 30 computers and laptops here at work and the add-on for OpenKM would be very useful.
 #6438  by jllort
 
Now we're finishing openoffice addin

Any help on any addon's it'll be apreciate, but althought our roadmap is growing highly we've not enought hands to making all. I don't think during this year we doing it, our priority level is setting up in concordance with critical features needs and clients demands ( which whore are really the real project contributors at the moment, at this time nobody, excepts OpenKM Team is helping us in development and enhancements ).
 #6527  by Normando
 
jllort wrote:...( which whore are really the real project contributors at the moment, at this time nobody, excepts OpenKM Team is helping us in development and enhancements ).
I can't believe... This software is superb and nobody outside help with development (money or programming)? So, what is the sense of restrict access to full documentation or what you gain if nobody help? IMHO as I said in previous email, OpenKM will gain more (programmers, contributors, money, contracts, etc) if open the documentation to all the world. I hope you can understand this good minded off-topic comment.

When I have a little time I will contribute with OpenKM (paying or not the €30, I will contribute also with code because this software, I repeat, is impressive)
 #6535  by jllort
 
Well be really happy if someone contributes to code, but during last 6 years nobody except people in OpenKM Team has done it. We've got some contacts from people interesting in becoming developers, we've provided sourceforge users repository grants, etc... but arrived the moment nobody has really collaborated with us in source code enhancements or similar, we've got only translators collaboration. These are too important for us and for the project, but the real job for doing translation is really small.

That's the reason why everytime I read some e-mail proposing collaborating we demand first it and secondly we offering accessing to all our documentation and if it's a good collaborator we can offering frees supporting services to their OpenKM installation too.

OpenKM is open source project but actually if it'll not be a company behind and clients that contracting supporting OpenKM it'll not be as we known today, major community open source users understand open source projects as something to use and zero to contribute. In real world if you only recollect the products of the land and contributed nothing to the end die. If you get some benefits of any open source product you might offering something, if open source program helps you to save money could invert some in project, or help in making better at least ( for example great companies like Google uses a modified MySQL at no cost ( that proces a great benefits for the company ) , the question is how Google contribute to MySQL project, if it contributes in some way ? ).

Rarely write about this, because I think that is wasting time. I often think I'm a dreamer when I talk about "open source community users". Because for me the meaning of community involves the collective and bidirectional but so far my experience contradicts.

Finally we are pleased with the reception of the application and that people use it ( free or clients ), but I want to make clear. I understand that there are certain users of open source applications ( any applications ) - here I speak specially about large companies and corporations - that should think morally contribute to these projects (of whatever form).
 #6547  by Normando
 
I am plenty agree with you. The feedback with contributions or money become lower than 0.1% of the user who use the open source software. But (always exist a 'but') if we think about linux, there are a lot of people collaborating with kernel patches. Other open source software like those made with php, has also a lot of users collaborating. Think about SugarCRM that become commercial when his developers know that his software become more and more used. There are a lot of examples, like MantisBT, osCommerce, etc. I am currently (from 10 years ago) collaborating with a server software based on Centos (SME Server).

IMHO I think that OpenKM need to be more promoted. I don't know how to do it, but I think that placing signatures in forums we using. May be a monthly newsletter (suscription at the main page of OpenKM) with useful tips and the big work we can do with OpenKM saving time and money, etc. How many users have this forum? 200? 300? 500? those are very little. OpenKM need more than 2000 to begin receive real feedbacks, like contributed code, or supporting with donations or contracts.
Another point is you can add at the frontpage, instead of €30 for grant access to the documentation, say something like "donate only 1% of the gain you get with OpenKM". I think in this case, OpenKM need to be more promoted over the internet and IT administrators. Was you talk with a speciallized magazine in Spain to get an interview? Banner exchange? I don't like google adds, but this is one of the ways you have to promote this site (and consecuently this superb software). Take alook at google SEO informations (sitemaps, adds, correct mettags for each page, etc.) to make this site more and more visited.

Well, sorry Josep to hijack this thread. I hope this situation change soon.
 #6553  by jllort
 
I've got less time in open source scenario, really only 6-7 seven years in developer world really more time :)

Suggestions and reflection are always wellcome, we've been reading papers about other open source models and experiences that invites us to thinking about it. For example jboss or compiere. The compire case is really very interesting. Most are agree that contributes are between 0,1%-0,3%, I'm totally agree with it. Seems only depending in supporting services - payment - it's not a good idea, it should be something extra, that's why in version 5.0 our effors has been in direction of creating a stable API between versions in order to creation OpenKM extensions. The idea is partners, or anybody in community create their own extensions and sold it or offering free if they want. After several years comparing with other open source projects etc... I think a open source project must have at least two must meet two conditions:

1-Offering a complete basis enhancements ( I think from version 4.X we're offering ) that generates two interesting thinks: community installations that means no cost marketing for open source project and payment clients ( who knows the value of intellectual capital is the one that really engages, I think services like services are a life assurance ).

2-Partners, companies, community users must be able to must be able to make money that generates "network presence in Internet and IT specialist" open source application is considered under decision tables ( In version 4.x we acomplish wit 50% of it, till 5.0 I think we'll not be 100% ).

Actually I think we're on right direction, specially this year we're really happy, probably caused by version 4.x is more mature than older versions. I'm totally agree with you about marketing scenarios, promoting is something complicate, are well posicioned specially in Google. Forum has more than 4000 users and the newsletter ( I want to send last week, but it has not been possible ) has more than 2000, etc... numbers could be better, but are not totally bad.

At January we've decided some strategy an until December we'll not change it. One of the decisions was "symbolic documentation payment" like you can see in other open source projects. I'm agree with you that the major objective always must be enlarge the community users, make a strong community and at the end you make a strong open source product. Probably make some documentation under payment is contrary to the primary objective. But we'll maintaining at least until December. In other hand we've only closed few documentation, related with more "professional configuration environments", major users ( 90% ) do not need it.

One of the problems reading about other open source projects is that can not be compared a OS, CRM, CMS or DMS in same way. The number of potential users is not the same, the way how feels the relation between software and end users is not the same is we're talking about OS, CRM, DMS ... One of the problem in DMS in lower culture about how much important in consolidation under a repository the intelectual capital, for major SEO is clearly for example the relation between a CRM and the cash, but that relation is most ofuscate in DMS case. In major papers I've readed about it, seems every open source project can be compared directly with others ... and I think althought basis experiences are really interesting can not be applied directly.

For example us we'll adquired a Suger CRM licensing, because it's part of our culture - the way in how we feeling it -. In comparation it's more expensive than us ( I might not said it). But probably althought major companies that buys for CRM licenses need a DMS will be less reluctant to pay four or six times more without problems, althought when people has tried that kind of software - DMS - then can not survive without it. I think the key in DMS scenario is the lower culture of the benefits can obtaining using that kind of technologies. In consideration the market is very cool and last years people has been more interested in that technical solutions.

We're pleased to exchange experiences and opinions with you.
 #6591  by Normando
 
Hi Josep

Well, as you said, DMS is no the same (thinking potiantially end users) as CMS, etc. because you was said correctly, the culture. I was thinking this only happens here in Argentina, where the company owners or IT managers not have the knowledge or cuture to valore this type of software. As a programmer, I love the repositories, like SVN, GIT, etc. and of course, OpenKM, because it is a big repository of documents, with version control, searchable, etc.

Recently I was download an ebook talking about the new concept named "eDicovery", and read the way a lot of companies from USA are adapted to use eDiscovery for legal reasons. Thinking about that, I beleave you will get with some time in future, big contracts or big support selling, because this type of software (OpenKM) IS the future. More and more companies need to centralize all your papers in a friendly way to get and search of them, and to avoid occuping big phisical ares to store them.

May be you can search for an alliance between OpenKM and other open sourse software to provide a complete eDiscovery solution for companies, and because this, you will increase the market penetration. Anyway, I still thinking you must make marketing campaigns. You will get instantly a lot of potentially customers. The key to get a lot of customers, is reach them through simple words. For example: "Get total control of your company at a click distance with OpenKM", "Reduce the ocupped area of documents in your company, making all in your server, searchable", etc. The target shoul be Insurance companies (I don't know how to say in english "compañía aseguradoras o de seguros") and banks, because they generate a lot of papers. these should be the main target of OpenKM. When the manager from these companies know about OpenKM and how OpenKM can help them, this manager probably buy a support of OpenKM.

Well Josep, is a pleasure take with you. In the few days I will pay for access the complete documentation, because I need to test all with a lot of documents. Any idea when version 5 is released?

best regards
Normando
 #6606  by jllort
 
This week, hope friday it'll be released. We're still not yet done all documentation for it release, but with what we've I think people might not having problems.
 #6638  by Normando
 
That sound fantastic. I have a new server today (MB Intel - i5 - 4Gb - 1Tb) for testing purposes of all my developments I have involved. I think the current documentation is enough. thank you for all the work Josep
 #6650  by jllort
 
I'll be released at monday, because at friday we don't want to send the newsletter for international day time zone, and marketing dept has thinked it's better sendind newsletter notifiying new release at monday.
 #6656  by Peter81929
 
Just want to let you know that we are all looking forward to seeing 5.0 being released.

Over time we are really loving OpenKM! Great work!

Peter

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OpenKM is part of the management software. A management software is a program that facilitates the accomplishment of administrative tasks. OpenKM is a document management system that allows you to manage business content and workflow in a more efficient way. Document managers guarantee data protection by establishing information security for business content.