Open source Pattern Development for Plex

Willem de Vries, RemiaSimon Jasperse, Kiboko

Session No. 6C

Agenda

● Introduction● The Remia XML Case● Open Source Plex Patterns● Discussion

Introduction

● The Plex reuse-building: pattern-promise– The hourglass didn’t evolve

● The open source gemstone

The power of open source

● Linux● Apache

– 68% of web sites - Netcraft Oct 2004, 20% fortune 1000 companies● MySQL

– 3rd in deployment after SQLServer and Oracle, DB2 is 4th, - July 2004, SD Times

● PHP– 30%, asp 50%, cfm 20%, Oct 2004, various

● Mozilla – 5% and counting

● Big Players joining– IBM, CA, Microsoft

Characteristics

● Free – Community ownership, free distribution

● Source code distribution– Users can change the product

● Peer Review– Users can influence the product

● Distribution– No restriction in parties - secondary software

● Review Board / Committee– Decides on core product

Open Source Basic idea

The basic idea behind open source is very simple: When programmers can read, redistribute, and modify the source code for a piece of software, the software evolves. People improve it, people adapt it, people fix bugs. And this can happen at a speed that, if one is used to the slow pace of conventional software development, seems astonishing.

Remia XML Case

● XML Pattern developed in 2000– Data presentation - Data Transfer - Extract Model Info

● Edge Presentations London - Barcelona - Vegas– pattern exchange - forum messages - more exchange

● Exchanged with 7 parties– swap patterns– pattern Enhancements, Java Variant by BFM– comments, discussions and suggestions– large time savings reported

Remia XML Case

● Product improvement– programming quality, increased functionality

● Maintenance– updating / distributing / communication

● Open source idea– discussions

Remia XML Case: Distribution

● Pattern 8 sites – Remia – Datanomics – BF&M – CCH – DeltaLogic– niit-tech– Data Specialists– ReadyPac

● Manual .. sites

Known use

Previous / Similar initiatives

● CA / Fowler cooperation, discontinued? ● OPAC, asleep?

– http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OPAC/

● Open MiniPatterns, asleep?– http://www.geocities.com/coolplexde/OpenMiniPattern.html

● Pattern Factory, active and involved– http://www.patternfactory.net/

● Lessons learnt?

Open source & Pattern Factory

● Joint development– Contents– Quality– Broad applicability– Multi-variant development– Programmers participation

● Distribution– Free, no model licencing– Restricted on contribution?

Discussion

● Is it viable?

● In what form?

● Patterns to build

● Technical matters

Forum Discussion● Open Source Patterns Anyone? 13-10-04

– www.edgeusergroup.org/forums/Thread.cfm?CFApp=82?&Thread_ID=28782

– 17 Participants– Mostly positive: “count me in”– Combine Pattern Factory and OS– CA should support the initiative– Best without CA, user community to make it work– Open source initiative can make a difference

– Funny you should mention that – Rules and commitments for all participants– Just about the only thing that will get the Plex community any

improvements to the tool.– Developers are not ready to share such resources

Forum Discussion: Poll● Poll (17 forum participants)

– How much time can you spend on OS?

– What kind of Activities do you want to do?

– What kind of Organisation do we need?

– Patterns to build?

– Patterns to share?

● 5 replies, 2 refer to Prague

Forum Discussion: Poll

● How much time can you spend? 4 replies– 2-4 days/month – 5-25 hrs/week– 1-3 hrs/day– 15-20 hrs/week

● Which Activities – Pattern Design, Pattern Building, Code review, Testing,

Documentation, Standards, Board, Model Management – all

Forum Discussion: Poll

● What kind of Organisation?

– Plex community might be too small– Role of CA technical / organisational resource– Small oversight board to facilitate / coordinate activities– Org to develop as we go– Pattern "owner" as pivot– OPAC as platform– Free discussion followed by project leading to org structure– Establish conditions members should comply with– Standards and guidelines to govern all development? Special

Interest Groups to develop patterns conform standards

Forum Discussion: Poll

● Patterns to build?

– Small, wide use pilot pattern– Stick to CA base classes? – Technology (small) patterns or business patterns?

– XML export/import– JAVA variant of some patterns– String management, File management (Multiplatform),

Messaging management, Ad hoc data processing, Linux support…

Forum Discussion: Poll

● Patterns to share?

– Treeview a entity with TreeView/TreeView – Filter+ filterfunction. – EditDetailSts+, EditDialogSts+ Includes logical deletion, reactivation– Print+ OBase-like reportfunction– Test and debug existing applications – CA patterns+– Extended MAPI pattern

Forum Discussion: Poll

● Patterns to share?

– Text file handling for C++ – RPGSQL – MQ Series - windows environment ( working on iSeries version) – FTP – windows and iSeries – MSMQ – windows – DB2/400 triggers (work in progress)– Outlook display