OSL -> ASWF
104 views
Skip to first unread message
Larry Gritz
Feb 1, 2020, 1:15:27 PM2/1/20
to OSL developers list
I hope this isn't too surprising or distressing to anybody, but we have formally sent an application to the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF) to turn OSL project governance/ownership to that organization.
The basic rationale is:
* We could use the extra hands, resources, and organizational effort that I have seen come to the other ASWF projects I've been involved with, such as OpenEXR and OpenColorIO. I could not be more pleased with how the organization has turned out, nor with the very positive effect on the projects that have made it their home, and frankly I'm a little jealous and would like to see those same benefits accrue to the OSL project.
* With the big push now for GPU support and increased development effort required to make that successful, I would like to see progress less bottlenecked on my time and attention. I just need more help and more active participation by stakeholders, that's the long and short of it. And with OSL a critical component of so many products and production pipelines, I think it's important for everyone's sake for us to lower the "what if Larry is hit by a bus" factor. This lowers risk and adds long-term stability for all involved.
* Sony Imageworks was absolutely the right place for this project to be born and grow up. But after 10 years, transfer of formal ownership to ASWF and making it truly community owned and run will better reflect the place it has come to hold in the ecosystem. The roster of ASWF member companies is a rundown of many of the major OSL users and contributors -- Sony, Pixar, Animal Logic, DNEG, Autodesk, Intel, Blender, and more -- they are not strangers to the project, so the transfer of formal home is just an acknowledgment of reality, not a change in who is involved.
Day to day for users, you should't see anything change that would worry you. I will remain the chief architect for as long as I'm willing, able, and the stakeholders agree it's in the best interest of the project (I may have even more time to put into design and code development, as others start to share in the support and administrative load).
You may see quite a bit more organization and formal process around the project -- this is a good thing, I believe -- such as meetings of the big stakeholders on a regular basis, a more formal roadmap and schedule, and more active participation of people from outside Sony. You will, I hope, see an influx of new developers and leaders, which I think will be a big enhancement and a force multiplier of how rapidly we can make progress.
Assuming that the ASWF votes to admit the project, in the coming weeks we will be recruiting members of the technical steering committee, looking for representatives from the major stakeholders (studios using OSL, companies with products that embed it, and developers with a history of contributing important code).
Thanks for your support, please don't hesitate to follow up here with any questions or concerns.
--
Larry Gritz
l...@larrygritz.com
The basic rationale is:
* We could use the extra hands, resources, and organizational effort that I have seen come to the other ASWF projects I've been involved with, such as OpenEXR and OpenColorIO. I could not be more pleased with how the organization has turned out, nor with the very positive effect on the projects that have made it their home, and frankly I'm a little jealous and would like to see those same benefits accrue to the OSL project.
* With the big push now for GPU support and increased development effort required to make that successful, I would like to see progress less bottlenecked on my time and attention. I just need more help and more active participation by stakeholders, that's the long and short of it. And with OSL a critical component of so many products and production pipelines, I think it's important for everyone's sake for us to lower the "what if Larry is hit by a bus" factor. This lowers risk and adds long-term stability for all involved.
* Sony Imageworks was absolutely the right place for this project to be born and grow up. But after 10 years, transfer of formal ownership to ASWF and making it truly community owned and run will better reflect the place it has come to hold in the ecosystem. The roster of ASWF member companies is a rundown of many of the major OSL users and contributors -- Sony, Pixar, Animal Logic, DNEG, Autodesk, Intel, Blender, and more -- they are not strangers to the project, so the transfer of formal home is just an acknowledgment of reality, not a change in who is involved.
Day to day for users, you should't see anything change that would worry you. I will remain the chief architect for as long as I'm willing, able, and the stakeholders agree it's in the best interest of the project (I may have even more time to put into design and code development, as others start to share in the support and administrative load).
You may see quite a bit more organization and formal process around the project -- this is a good thing, I believe -- such as meetings of the big stakeholders on a regular basis, a more formal roadmap and schedule, and more active participation of people from outside Sony. You will, I hope, see an influx of new developers and leaders, which I think will be a big enhancement and a force multiplier of how rapidly we can make progress.
Assuming that the ASWF votes to admit the project, in the coming weeks we will be recruiting members of the technical steering committee, looking for representatives from the major stakeholders (studios using OSL, companies with products that embed it, and developers with a history of contributing important code).
Thanks for your support, please don't hesitate to follow up here with any questions or concerns.
--
Larry Gritz
l...@larrygritz.com
Larry Gritz
Feb 14, 2020, 3:00:45 PM2/14/20
to OSL Developers List
Follow-up:
The ASWF Technical Advisory Council (TAC) met earlier this week and although we thought the agenda was merely to introduce and discuss OSL's application, it was greeted with enough enthusiasm (and with a quorum of voting members present) that an immediate vote was called, and OSL was adopted as a foundation project by unanimous consent.
Here was the initial application, if you are curious: https://lists.aswf.io/g/tac/message/1196
The next step is to recruit representatives of the major stakeholders to form a technical steering committee (TSC). Some of you will be hearing from me in the coming days.
-- lg
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages