It's not the "open source" bit at all that starts the alarm bells. I have personally written lots profitable systems where they were all based on open source MySQL etc etc. It's the word "ONLY" that sets me a quiver. The inclusion of "non-proprietary software" along with this statement as well as "hard-coding of specific "fields" should be avoided" says to me, as Stephen has already muted that the system is so changeable that it will be a never ending set of specifications or even worse, no specification at all with the goal posts constantly moving.
There are loads of proprietary systems that will do exactly what they want but at a price, but that price that will be fixed upon a definite requirement which doesn't seem to be intimated ... in other words they don't know what it will look like or be when (if) they finish the project. A commercial solution would tie them down and make them think about their requirements .... and it seems to me that is what they DON'T want to do, preferring that the prospective developer(s) simply dance to their choice .. as it changes. Maybe I am being a little harsh here, maybe not but nearly 40 years of development experience has given me a fairly good nose for these type of projects. Get into them and they can bleed you dry. I bet there is no phased implementation plan in place either, you can be virtually certain that it will be .... "finish it and you get paid, but we won't pay you in phases". Beware... I see dead people....or projects.. lol! Dave -----Original Message----- From: ProFox [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kurt @ VR-FX Sent: 29 May 2014 17:24 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Possible Data Warehouse Project Dave - I don't get it. just because its supposed to be based upon Open-Source SW - that doesn't imply "Cost Nothing"! I think that's a rather BIG Assumption on your Part. Not that I am fully knowledgeable about Open-Source dev. and what's going on out there in the Bus. world. But, seems to me over the past Decade - a HUGE # of co's & org's have gone the route of Open-Source, even really BIG Co's - but, it doesn't mean the systems were developed for Free! -K- On 5/29/2014 11:48 AM, Dave Crozier wrote: > Quote: > "It needs to use only open source, 100% standards-compliant, non-proprietary > software" > > ... oh and it needs to cost nothing to be developed on the back of "When it's > finished we can sell a lot of these..." > > Been there, got the EXPENSIVE teeshirt, never again! > > Dave > > -----Original Message----- > From: ProFox [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ken Dibble > Sent: 29 May 2014 16:41 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Possible Data Warehouse Project > > Folks, > > This is an EXTREMELY preliminary "feeler" about what potential exists for a > contract to build and maintain a statewide Center for Independent Living data > warehouse. > > I am NOT an official person authorized to do anything. I am participating in > a workgroup that is developing specifications for a project. This project may > never get off the ground. I am not in a decision-making position. I'm just > gauging issues and interest. > > The New York State vocational rehabilitation agency and the state Independent > Living Council are looking to create a data warehouse that can be used to > document both unmet needs for, and impact of services provided by, Centers > for Independent Living. The database would need to import data in a standard > format from many individual Centers, and be able to query across all data > points in a flexible fashion. > > It would need to be fully compatible with a wide range of browsers and OSes, > and have a mobile tablet/phone component. It does not require > high-concurrency though. > > It needs to use only open source, 100% standards-compliant, non-proprietary > software for data storage and website operation. It needs to be maintained to > ensure compatibility with rapidly changing browser and OS requirements on a > timely basis. > > The system needs to be higly flexible, capable of storing and querying on any > number of specific data points within several broad categories of data. > In other words, the specifics of what the system needs to store and report > can change frequently, so hard-coding of specific "fields" should be avoided. > > The people who develop this would, naturally, need to be very experienced in > all segments of open-source database and website development. > > Does anybody out there feel that, if such a project went out to bid, they > would be likely to respond? > > Any other thoughts would be welcome. > > Thanks. > > Ken Dibble > www.stic-cil.org > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://mail.leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://mail.leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[email protected] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
