Linux Magazine: 12 Steps to a successful open source project

[ Thanks to Robert
McMillan for this link. ]

“Open source changes everything. That’s what the pundits
will tell you. What they mean is that open source isn’t just about
free or better software. It’s a whole new way of thinking about how
to solve problems and manage projects. When we launched the
project that I’m working on — the Linux Professional Institute —
a year ago, we knew that we would be able to leverage this open
source methodology to make the project stronger and better, even
though we weren’t developing software.”

“To step back, the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) has been
around since the fall of 1998. Its goal is to develop a
certification program for Linux professionals similar to those
available to Microsoft (MCSE) and Novell (CNE) users. We have
developed a series of exams that people can take to demonstrate
their knowledge of and proficiency with Linux.”

“Of course Linux is different from NT or NetWare. And one of the
challenges we face at the LPI is that no one entity controls the
Linux operating system, so no one can dictate the standards for
certification. Anyone can create their own Linux certification
programs — in fact several have. In this environment, our efforts
have been focused on building a consensus and making sure that we
are as inclusive as possible — something that the open source
model is ideally suited to achieve.”

Complete
Story