OpenMapTM: How We Can Help You
BBN Technologies ("BBN") has years of experience in GIS, and has developed our
state of the art mapping technology from the ground up, first in C++ with
MATT, and currently in Java with OpenMap. Although OpenMap is open source
software, we are available to apply our expertise and day-to-day experience
with the toolkit to your projects. We can help you customize OpenMap for your
own applications and uses, and have the following options for providing that
support:
Ad hoc email support: The developers can be reached directly at
openmap@bbn.com for ad hoc email support.
This is a great option to use if you have initial questions about the software,
what you need to run it, and basic questions about functionality. This is
also the email address to use if you'd like to report bugs, or send in code
submissions for new functionality. Note that this free basic level of support
is provided when time and resources permit.
The User Community: Separate from the developers' mailing list,
BBN also runs the openmap-users@bbn.com
mailing list. This list is populated by OpenMap users from around the globe
and BBN developers who want to discuss how they've used OpenMap in their own
applications, exchange tips and tricks, and even nuggets of code to keep the
spirit of open source alive and well. These pieces of code can often be found
on our submission page for the world to view and download, and can sometimes
be incorporated into the software distribution itself.
openmap-users@bbn.com is a closed
mailing list to protect the subscribers from unsolicited email. To join and
post on the list, send email to
majdart@bbn.com with the phrase
"subscribe openmap-users" in the body of the message.
Contracted support: This is how BBN performs the majority of its
support to the user community, and how it funds new releases and new
functionality within OpenMap. We find that OpenMap provides most customers
with 90% of the solution they need - BBN then provides consulting services to
develop that remaining 10% to get you the full solution you are seeking. This
can be handled in a number of ways, depending on what type of support you
need. For example, our options include:
- Six-month support: This enables us to
be available by email or telephone between the hours of 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM,
Eastern Time, for troubleshooting and to answer any questions you might have
about the software or your implementation. Our customers often use this
method when they're interested in integrating OpenMap into their own solutions
themselves, but would like a dedicated expert resource available when they
run into difficulties.
- One-on-One Consulting: One-on-One consulting provides you with a
day with an OpenMap developer, either at your site or ours, who can work with
you to provide personalized support, discussions, and suggestions for how you
use OpenMap within your application.
- Classes on developing with OpenMap: We're happy to design a
course for you and your developers to suit your needs, whether you need a
basic introduction to OpenMap, a detailed tutorial on how to integrate the
MapBean into your application to provide you with visualization capabilities,
or anything between. These classes can be conducted at BBN's Cambridge campus,
or on-site at your own facility.
- On-site and off-site design & integration: This is our most
popular option, since many customers have a one-time need for mapping and
visualization development, and may not want to spend their developers' time
coming up to speed in the mapping domain. BBN's professionals are available
to work with you to design, implement, integrate, and test an OpenMap solution
for you. This might be customizing an OpenMap-based application, adding new
functionality to fit your requirements, or even helping to design a web site
to serve up the imagery you need. After your needs are met, we can be
available through a six-month support package if you have any
follow-up requests.
If you're interested in obtaining BBN's Professional Consulting Services, you
may contact us directly at
openmap@bbn.com for more information.
BBN has extensive experience with both government and commercial customers.
Where to go from here:
BBN can best support your projects with a greater understanding of your
requirements and system needs. We recommend the following steps:
- Contact the OpenMap developers at
openmap@bbn.com, including the detailed
scope of the work you're interested in, or the problem you are interested in
solving.
- We can evaluate the project and make recommendations of how BBN can best
support your work. We can use the detailed scope to create a statement of
work - from that; we can put together a cost estimate and a Professional
Services Agreement.
OpenMap is open source:
We feel that one of the keys to OpenMap's success has been the open source
nature of the software. The code is available and readable to all, and can
be easily modified. When we do contract research and development for a
customer, we prefer to fold our updates and additions into the code base for
the rest of the user community to use. After all, one reason that OpenMap is
often 90% of the solution you need is because other customers in the past have
paid for those features!
We're also aware that certain customers will be using OpenMap to gain a
competitive advantage in the marketplace, and can make arrangements with you
to develop proprietary modules of code, or not to release that contracted
code as open source.
The OpenMap Developers
openmap@bbn.com
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