https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/asset/adms_foss/topic/public-comments-admsf/oss-v03#comment-12266
-> There are numerous references to "projects developing software".
Indeed, in the FOSS community, initiatives that develop software
are very often called "projects" even though that usage of the word
"project" clashes with the generally accepted and standardized IT
management terminology. For example, the standard ISO/IEC 15288:2008
(IEEE Std 15288-2008) titled "Systems and software engineering -
System life cycle processes" defines "project" as "endeavor with
defined start and finish dates undertaken to create a product or
service in accordance with specified resources and requirements".
In fact also the definition of "software project" on page 14 of the
ADMS.F/OSS specification correctly defines the term as a time-limited
undertaking. However the example that is given following the
definition is not such a time-limited undertaking. I propose that
the ADMS.F/OSS specification should use the phrase "project or
initiative" in most places where it currently says "project". This
would avoid being incorrect, while still being understandable by
people who expect long-term initiatives that develop FOSS software
to be (arguably incorrectly) referred to as "projects".
page 11, new section 3.3
Comments
>, the standard ISO/IEC 15288:2008
>(IEEE Std 15288-2008) titled "Systems and software engineering -
>System life cycle processes" defines "project" as "endeavor with
>defined start and finish dates undertaken to create a product or
>service in accordance with specified resources and requirements".
Although different, the definition in v0.3 in my opinion does not contradict common understanding. Proposal: adopt the definition in ISO/IEC 15288:2008.
> "However the example that is given following the definition is not such a time-limited undertaking."
The example given is the Apache HTTPD Server Project. Currently, the homepage also mentions the word 'Project': http://httpd.apache.org/. It also reads: "Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996, and celebrated its 17th birthday as a project this February."
Proposal: add a guideline that long-running initiatives can also be considered to be software projects.
See also https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/discussion/naming-concepts-software-project-software-asset-software-distribution
See also:
https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/discussion/software-project-versus-software-product
"A Software Project is a time-delimited undertaking with the objective to produce one or more software releases, materialised as software packages. Some projects are long-running undertakings, and do not have a clear time-delimited nature or project organisation. In this case, the term ‘software project’ can be interpreted as the result of the work: a collection of related software releases that serve a common purpose."