The CodePlex Foundation: A gallery for open source projects

Sam Ramji, current president of the CodePlex Foundation, has outlined the plans for the Foundation's handling of open source projects. The idea is described by Ramji as a "design pattern based on museums". The idea is that the foundation will be formed of galleries, each with a corporate sponsor and that projects would be included within each gallery. The "museum", in this case, the CodePlex Foundation, would then appoint Gallery Managers to create galleries, manage projects within the galleries and help the corporate sponsor influence projects.

An early draft of the Project Acceptance and Operation Guidelines has been published which further details the Foundations plans; a commercial sponsorship would have to run for a minimum of three years, the sponsor would appoint a Gallery Manager and the foundation would assign a Technical Program Manager. Each Gallery would be reviewed every three years and either be extended or moved "to storage". The draft also says the Foundation expects to operate a number of Galleries directly without commercial sponsorship.

Asked about making the Foundation independent of Microsoft, Ramji said "We’ve had interest from other corporate sponsors and we are learning what their opportunities are in Open Source development and participation in Open Source projects. I think those conversations will lead to sponsorship and increased independence". Currently, the site only lists Microsoft as a sponsor.

(djwm)