Geoportal Extension to Become Open Source

Despite code documentation and samples as included on the Geoportal Resource Center, implementers of the Geoportal Extension have continued asking for source code access to support integration with content management systems, map viewers, desktop etc.

Esri listened to these requests and I am happy to be able to announce that:

the Geoportal Extension will enter a next phase in its evolution and become a Free and Open Source solution from Esri.

Seven years ago we created what was then called the GIS Portal Toolkit as a software and services solution, based on code from a number of earlier projects and prototypes for data discovery and map viewing.

Are we there yet?

Is anybody home?
It’s been three weeks since we announced that the Esri Geoportal extension would be released as open source. It may have seemed a bit quiet since, but rest assured, a lot has happened.

In my previous post I indicated we were looking at a Creative Commons-esk license model. Several people pointed out that this license is not recommended for source code. And yes we did see the FAQ on that topic.

And so started a quest for an appropriate license model that would give everyone: developers, implementers, and (sorry folks!) Esri what they need. If there only was a geek channel on TV. this would have made a great ‘America’s next top (license) model’ show.

Along the way we revisited a great resource collected by the state of Massachusetts IT Division. It’s a bit dated, but the basics still apply.

While Esri has experience with open source from a licensing-in perspective,