This document summarizes Nick Grossman's presentation about OpenBlock and open source projects. OpenBlock is an open source hyper-local data platform that allows newspapers and news organizations to deploy their own instance to collect and map local news and data. It aims to become easier for more organizations to use. OpenPlans is a nonprofit that created OpenBlock to support civic engagement and open government through open source tools. Open source was discussed as a long term strategy that requires planning features, documentation, code sharing, and community engagement to be sustainable.

1. OpenBlock
Open source hyper-local data platform
or, open source and the News Challenge
Nick Grossman, Director of Civic Works, OpenPlans | @nickgrossman
Knight Night @ The Nieman Lab - 10/19/2010

2. Tonight
1. A little about OpenPlans
2. OpenBlock: open source hyper-local data platform
3. Open source and the News Challenge

3. Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

4. OpenPlans
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

5. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

6. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

7. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

8. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

9. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

10. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

11. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

12. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

13. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

14. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

15. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

16. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

17. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
OneBusAway
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

18. OpenPlans
NYC nonprofit tech & media organization
Founded in 1999, now 50 people
Civic Engagement, Open Government
Journalism + Open Source
OneBusAway
Photo by eyeheartnewyork on tumblr http://tumblr.eyeheartnewyork.com/post/1208761606/nyc-hacks-hackers-meetup-at-the-openplans

19. OpenBlock
A.K.A. “EveryBlock Open Source”
openblockproject.org

22. Goals for OpenBlock

23. Goals for OpenBlock
Today:
Cool app that’s hard to set up and use

24. Goals for OpenBlock
Today:
Cool app that’s hard to set up and use
Tomorrow:
Cool app that’s easy for lots of people
to set up and use

25. Goals for OpenBlock
Today:
Cool app that’s hard to set up and use
Tomorrow:
Cool app that’s easy for lots of people
to set up and use
Many newspapers & news hackers
able to deploy & build on their own
OpenBlock instance

26. System Overview
Public Web UI Data
Scrapers
Django Web
Geocoder
Openblock Model
Map Server
Django ORM
PostgreSQL + PostGIS

27. Missing Parts
Widgets Admin UI Public UI
Data
REST API Scrapers
Django Web
Geocoder
Openblock Model
Map Server
Django ORM
PostgreSQL + PostGIS
Installer Documentation

28. Collecting News
Local Police
News Source
Beat Web Site

29. Collecting News
Local Police
News Source
Beat Web Site
Scraper

30. Collecting News
Local Police
News Source
Beat Web Site
B&E at 123
Scraper News Item
Fakey St.
News Item
Crime Report
Item Type

31. Collecting News
Local Police
News Source
Beat Web Site
B&E at 123
Scraper News Item GeoCoder
Fakey St.
News Item
Crime Report
Item Type

32. Collecting News
Local Police
News Source
Beat Web Site
B&E at 123
Scraper News Item GeoCoder
Fakey St.
News Item
Crime Report
Item Type
B&E at 123
News Item
Fakey St.
News Item
Crime Report
Item Type
123 Fakey St.
Locations

34. • highly configurable

35. • highly configurable
• highly extensible

36. • highly configurable
• highly extensible
• good base for many
geo / data apps

37. • highly configurable
• highly extensible
• good base for many
geo / data apps
• many possibilities for
new experiences

38. OpenBlock: Developer Resources

39. OpenBlock: Developer Resources
openblockproject.org
developer.openblockproject.org
demo.openblockproject.org

40. OpenBlock: Developer Resources
openblockproject.org
developer.openblockproject.org
demo.openblockproject.org
Open Source Mapping / GIS tools - opengeo.org

41. OpenBlock: Developer Resources
openblockproject.org
developer.openblockproject.org
demo.openblockproject.org
Open Source Mapping / GIS tools - opengeo.org
HyperLocal w/ OpenBlock Hack Day at MIT - Oct 30th
Hacks/Hackers, Boston Globe, OpenPlans + you
http://meetupbos.hackhackers.com

42. Open Source
and the News Challenge
i.e., how to open source your project
without breaking your budget

43. What do you really mean by
“open source”?

44. What do you really mean by
“open source”?
By "open-source" we mean a digital, open-source
platform that uses a code base that can be used by
anyone after the grant period to either replicate your
project in their community or to build upon it.

45. What do you really mean by
“open source”?
By "open-source" we mean a digital, open-source
platform that uses a code base that can be used by
anyone after the grant period to either replicate your
project in their community or to build upon it.
You will own your platform, but you will have to share
any software you develop under a GPL license and any
documents, manuals or instructions under Creative
Commons licensing.

46. What do you really mean by
“open source”?
By "open-source" we mean a digital, open-source
platform that uses a code base that can be used by
anyone after the grant period to either replicate your
project in their community or to build upon it.
You will own your platform, but you will have to share
any software you develop under a GPL license and any
documents, manuals or instructions under Creative
Commons licensing.
...

47. Open Source is a
long-term proposition
but... it’s easy to plan ahead for it

48. Feature development &
documentation: ticket tracker/wiki

49. Product discussion:
mailing list

50. Code: social repo

51. Progress: blog

52. Periodic releases: demo server

53. Open source resources
• Book: Producing Open Source Software
http://producingoss.com
• Citizen Media Law Project
http://www.citmedialaw.org
• Software Freedom Law Center
http://www.softwarefreedom.org
• Knight will help you if you are selected

54. Thanks!
(see you at the hackathon October 30th)
OpenPlans: http://openplans.org
OpenBlock: http://openblockproject.org
Nick Grossman: nick@openplans.org
@nickgrossman