One of the principles that I was under the impression that Wikimedia follows is a commitment to use open source software whenever possible. As an organization committed to open content, the Foundation supposedly strives to use only open source software in its main production operations (and, exclusive of some router firmware, it does as far as I know). In addition, the Foundation is supposed to minimize its use of proprietary software for accessory uses, using open source options when available.
So, then, can someone tell me why Wikimedia has set up a Ventrilo server? There's nothing Ventrilo can do that Asterix can't. Furthermore Ventrilo only supports Windows clients, and charges a monthly licensing fee; Asterix supports any SIP client (of which there are dozens) and (being open source) has no fees at all. On top of that, Ventrilo is merely a voice chat server; Asterix is a full-blown telephony application, with voice mail, ACD, IVR, and basically everything you'd want in a regular PBX system, plus the ability to set up softphones (or, with minor hardware investment, hardphones) that work from anywhere.
I've been trying to convince the Foundation to set up Asterix for over a year now, if for no other purpose than for the occasional conference call, and to make it possible for Danny to forward calls to Florence without having to deal with international calling issues. I've apparently been ignored on this issue, however; and when the ComCom (or someone else in the Foundation) decided they needed voice conferencing that was less unreliable than Skype (which isn't saying much) instead of turning to a volunteer who has actual experience with voice-over-internet applications in the real world, they pick up a voice chat program that is marketed primarily to gamers.
I hope the Foundation hasn't spent too much on Ventrilo, or on the Windows machine that it's running on. I consider every cent spent on it wasted money, when a deployable open source solution exists and has existed for months that does the same thing and since it runs on Linux, wouldn't have cost a Windows install, either.
Really underscores Wikimedia's need for a proper CTO, doesn't it?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
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You coulda, y'know, asked before speculating at length ... assume stupidity before malice, that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteThe answer: it was a useful tool one staffer found useful and asked people to try. You will be unsurprised quite a few people promptly coughed up their skulls and are looking *very* fast for a free software replacement. (I also flagged it as instant bad PR if it wasn't replaced promptly. Ahem.)
Apparently the damn thing runs okay under Wine on Ubuntu. I've said I'll give it a go, assuming I can get the USB headset to work consistently on Feisty (it didn't work consistently on Breezy). Then I can be bugged in all sorts of new ways. YAY!
The foundation does indeed need a proper CTO. It also needs an Executive Director ...
Can you explain, then David, why Florence is arguing in favor of the nonfree solution? I know that both Kat and Erik have argued for the open source solution, but from what I've heard they're not winning that argument.
ReplyDeleteObviously there's a staffer somewhere who needs to be educated about Wikimedia Foundation policy regarding open source software. Color me unhappy about the whole situation.
Is it that much of a wonder that the English Wikipedia has problems with enculturation when the Foundation inner core can't even consistently follow its supposed values?
Specifically, Florence argued to use it while we get a free software solution in place.
ReplyDeleteY'know, if you'd asked me this last night, I'd have told you.
My point, David, is that I made the Foundation aware of this option almost a year ago. It really irritates me that they went ahead and spent money on a nonfree solution when a free solution existed and was disclosed to them in advance.
ReplyDeleteIt also irritates me to see the Foundation waste time and money letting everyone decide what color to paint the bike shed, and in the end having to repaint it because they made the wrong decision. It's ridiculous that it's a Board-level discussion to decide what teleconferencing system to use.
I can understand you're pissed off. But organisational memory is frequently a matter of continuous ongoing reminder, cut'n'pasting "I told you so" references.
ReplyDeleteApparently it didn't cost anything as yet (except the Windows licence, which it would be reasonable to assume came with the box).
I'd give it a few days and it'll go.
As noted I'm somewhat WTF at the Inquirer-like tone of hidden revelation in this entry and your response comment when I'd probably have talked to you about all this for the value of your analysis and clue assault, assuming you wouldn't promptly pass everything I said to the world. For what that's worth.
The problem, David, is that this episode reflects a general culture of what I can't call anything other than general incompetence within the Foundation. I'm not assuming malice (as you accused me of earlier); I am detecting stupidity and calling it that.
ReplyDeleteWikimedia staff and volunteers need to understand that their actions have repercussions. I heard about the Ventrilo install from a public discussion on the Wikimedia Commons channel, which means that by the time I heard about it it was common public knowledge. The fact that it got that far without anybody realizing that it would be a PR clusterfuck is an indication that the Foundation doesn't train its staff and volunteers to be aware that almost any action they do can have repercussions.
The decision to publicize the Ventrilo server was obviously given little or no consideration, and the Foundation rightfully needs to be called on that. And that's what I do, in my role as a critic of the Foundation and its activities.
As far as going public: I won't share anything that is told to me in confidence. Anything else I happen to stumble across, however, is fair game. As I said before, I don't have much in the way of access, so if I know it odds are it's in the public sphere already.
I shoulda figured everyone mouths off. My apologies for the above, you're not someone I'd think would treat a source loosely in any way.
ReplyDelete"anything other than general incompetence within the Foundation"
Note WMUK's experience with this ... my current fervent hope is Arkady will not go too nonlinear when experiencing the more strident sources of Asshole Personality Disorder in WMF. Not naming any names at all.
"The fact that it got that far without anybody realizing that it would be a PR clusterfuck is an indication that the Foundation doesn't train its staff and volunteers to be aware that almost any action they do can have repercussions."
Bloody tell me about it. *headdesk*
I do trust and listen closely to your cluefulness and competence deeply, even if your default setting is pissed-off ... Of late I'm ahh encouraging cluefulness wherever I see it in evidence. Zenlike forbearance. Yeah. Edit some articles. Yeah. Don't get into en:wp admin politics. Um ...
And btw, it appears your experience of the nonprofit sector and volunteer organisations has hitherto been idyllic. For small charities of similar size and staff, this level of SNAFU is normal. Which is scary in itself.
ReplyDeleteThat's not meant as an excuse, because most of those charities don't have the world watching their every cough ... but present SNAFU levels are absolutely not remarkable.
As a gamer, I find an OpenSource alternative to Ventrilo rather interesting and intend to investigate further. The wikipedia link above points to the Asterix & Obelix comic strip. Folks looking into the Asterisk PBX alternative should follow this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterisk_PBX
Actually Ventrilo does work under operating systems other than Windows. I have a Ventrilo server with http://www.darkstarllc.com/ that I use on Max OS X all of the time (though I assume it would work the same through any provider, I admittedly haven't tested that). But, the client is actually free, and there are several other operating systems they list on the Ventrilo website:
ReplyDeletehttp://ventrilo.com/download.php
That aside, I definitely see your point, Ventrilo is not as mainstream as other forms of VoIP. Using something that more people are familiar with (not just the online gamers), might make more sense.