The CITEP Open Source Model

Why Open Source?

Makes it a viable alternative for not-for-profits.
Makes it extendable for future developers.
Bugs can be easily exposed and fixed by others.
Allows development to be accelerated because we can use what others have already done
Allows us to turn our code into a "textbook" that can be used for instruction.

Yet to be determined.
Most of the tools and libraries we have used are the Apache License, the GNU Lesser General Public License and the GNU General Public License.

We do not follow the common model as described in the Eric Raymond's popular The Cathedral and the Bazaar.
- for example, we do NOT release "early and often"
Our model is more closely related to that used by IBM's Eclipse.
- development and testing is done inhouse.
- we have internal releases, not external.
An external release will be made towards the end of the project (October 2004). At this point, it will be opened to outside developers, testers and users. This serves a few purposes:
- It allows for complete control of the software until the basic General Ledger is functional and extendable.
- It allows for the development of the software to be a learning environment. Many open source projects with the "release early and often" model move too rapidly to server the purpose of educate beginners.
- Allows time for proper documentation to be written. Often times those open source projects that bother to document have documentation that falls behind the current release. Documentation is key for the educational aspect of this project, as well as the stake holders and end users.