(expressing my opinion only, as usual, this may or may not cover with opinions of other ML members)
First I should say, krashnik has some points about licensing IMO. But that's all of it.
Everything else sounds like an attempt to commercialize the project.
And some of us remember the last talk about this.
I didn't look through the code thoroughly ...
They have done a great job up until this point, though it is still an amateur piece of code with inadequate licensing and maintenance to really hold standard in a larger marketplace.
So you haven't done your homework to check the source, but still consider it as an amateur piece of code ? Inadequate maintenance ? Marketplace ?
First you should checkout the code, if you're developer, then we would be interested in hearing your opinion. If you are not, then probably you're not the one to give such definitions.
I'm not saying that the code cannot be better than this (different devs, different approaches). But you're telling me that the salt is sweet, only because you do not know what salt is.
If we treat it similar to the Android system, we could theoretically have a platform for future chipsets to run only on MagicLantern Firmware. This would allow a complete different open-source camera system to adopt ML into it's hardware for a truly 100% open-source platform. This can't happen on the random hours the current coders are putting into this software.
Why do you compare Android - an Open Source project, based on other Open Source projects (Driven by a huge corporation and advertised) with ML - Open Source project based on proprietary work, which is undocumented and reverse engeneered. A totally hostile environment for new devs, unless they have the courage to stick for it long enough. To me this is not real comparation.
To make ML work on a different hardware (other than Canon's) would not be possible ATM, since it's all based on their hardware and their OS and APIs. Not sure ML will ever be something else, but who knows.
Whether we like it or not, writing code takes money.
I totaly disagree with this. Whenever I can, I help other open source projects. This costs nothing to them, neither to their users.
To me it's like a hobby or more like an religion, but that's me.
All the devs here are not doing it for money, neither users pay for it.
The code might cost in business, yes, but this is something diffrent and you should have realized it so far, since you said you worked with open source projects.
Most open source projects are driven by ppl wanting to give to others, not to take from them. Even these that sells support after that. Enterprise linux distributions, OpenERP, Kolab, Proxmox, etc... All they give, not take. If you are not able to go by yourself, then you can pay for support, but you're not forced to.
Dedicated Servers to host ML website: $2,000/year
Redesign responsive website: $4,000
How-To Tutorials for beginners: $10,000
Funding for 5 programmers to treat this as part-time job: $50,000 = $10k/year per programmer.
Distribute the $50k to the top 5 programmers who work on this code which will allow them to buy cameras and completely take them apart, completely obliterate CF/SSD controllers, etc.
I'm not sure how much costs ML's Dedicated per year, but the other prices seems a bit high to me ?!?
I'm living and working in Bulgaria. In my "free" time, I work my ass for extra.
If I could ask $4k for redesign, I would work 2 hours a day in total.
I'm not saying this is unreasonable price whereever you live, but believe me, there are much cheaper experts around the world.
Documentation and tutoruals are written by ppl wanting to share their free time, just like the devs. As it was mentioned in some post above, this makes these ppl feel themselves significant, because they are significant!
Paying someone $10k will do some good documents for few months, then you will have outdated documents for years (because the volunteers are not around anymore), unless you keep spending $10k for documentation.
This is more than acceptable in every business mode, since there are no volunteers there, but here it's different.
The most harmful thing for this project is to start paying to any dev !
This was discussed already. Once you give someone money to work on this project, all the other devs will leave you. No new devs will be available, since it's hard to enter this environment. The project will slowly (or not so slowly) die!
We need to step away from the mindset that ML is a garage/basement project and realize that it is currently ranked at 59,000 on Alexa, has global coverage with top magazines and reviewers, and is being used by filmmakers worldwide in commercial productions.
We're essentially sitting on a multi-million nonprofit educational open-source platform that just needs the right management to standardize how it works.
The project is that BIG only because it is not commercial ! Once you make it commercial it will be ruined.
Yes, I am a businessman who enjoys helping charities & philanthropic efforts.
To me you look more like a businessman, who seeks oppotunities. Nothing wrong in that, but this project should not be comercialized IMO !
I haven't seen other contributors here who are programmers in the Silicon Valley area. Maybe that is why everyone thinks it has to be garage style to still be "for the people."
I'm not sure I'm getting this right, but this sounds offending to me.
If you're looking for programmers which you can enslave and squeeze for few years, perhaps you should really go to Sillicon Valley. We already know few "good" companies comming from there, should I point them ?
If you look at other large & successful open-source projects, they handle their work slightly differently. Think wordpress, eclipse, kaltura, android, chrome OS, etc. These are all open-source yet still bring in funds to help their beloved programmers & their vast communities grow.
I already mentioned few open source projects above, as I mentioned that ML is quite different from other OS projects and if you want to compare it with other projects, you should find some worthy for that.
#1: magiclantern.com - not .fm - this will be the for-profit side of the business where people can hire programmers to help them install magic lantern in all of their corporation's cameras, etc.
Hire programmers ?? Go to freelancer.com.
Profit ? I do not need troubles with Canon. Count me out of this as soon as you start taking profit of this.
#2: Get a board of directors & rectify a nonprofit. anyone on the board will not be allowed to accept any money - they simply oversee decisions & stand behind the mission of the nonprofit. elect a board who has ML's best interest in mind who have diverse talents such as programmers, filmmakers, marketers, and businessman.
And loose all the devs and kill the project.
ML is not business, neither a profession. It's a hobby and education project.
We learn by ML, then we monetize our knowledge in business.
#3: Do outreach with ML and partner with Canon. Once ML becomes a 501c3 nonprofit, Canon can make tax-deductible donations to the ML crew.
Also, I'm sure Canon would be happy to hire programmers from the ML crew & can create a happy cohesive environment between ML + Canon. ML can be a training-ground where anyone can learn Canon firmware & if they really excel, they get picked up by the R&D department of Canon. With $500k funding, non profit status, and a board of directors that sets this structure up better - Canon will happily start doing business with & welcoming the ML community a lot more.
I see another ending of this movie, we all know what it is. There is no reason for Canon to cooperate with us, is there ?
Before I finish the post, here is a quote from hirethestache, which express my opinion in short, which I couldn't say better.
Or dont change what isnt broken. Please quit trying to monetize ML. As soon as you bring money into the game, you introduce power struggles and inequality.
Tutorials are already being made on a daily basis from the users, for free.
The website is already perfectly (albeit slightly clunky) functional.
The general public feels like it is a part of something big, because it is free and completely open-source.
One more thing you should consider before your reply. I'm not a businessman (at least not like you). My point of view is different and it does not include ML as business.
