Collaborative platforms in the cloud are essential enablers for a global opens source community. There are a plethora of providers for different solution available, each having their own advantages and challenges. Unlike Opens Source Software, which can be copied and installed locally for free, the use of those platforms are very often not for free as the provider has high investments in hardware infrastructure and internet bandwidth. The decision in favour of a certain platform for the openIMIS Initiative is guided by a few simple questions:
- Does the platform provide the needed functionality?
- Does the platform provide a sustainable future for the initiative, should there be no donor funds available?
- Will the platform integrate into the existing landscape or will it create administrative overhead?
Currently the following platforms are in use:
| Function | Product | Platform | Costing Model | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issue Queue | Jira | Atlassian | Free OS Scheme | in use |
| Wiki | Confluence | Atlassian | Free OS Scheme | in use |
| Source Code Repository | git | GitHub | Free OS Scheme | in use |
| Documentation Repository | git | GitHub | Free OS Scheme | in use |
| Dokumentation Server | readthedocs | readthedocs.org | Free OS Scheme | in use |
| Virtual Conferencing | JITSI | jitsi.org | Free | in use |
| Virtual Conferencing | Skype classic | Microsoft | Free | fall back |
| Virtual Conferencing | Skype for Business | Microsoft | GIZ corporate licence | GIZ internal |
| Virtual Conferencing | Teams | Microsoft | GIZ corporate licence | GIZ internal |
| Forum | Groups | Free | in use | |
| Shared Folders | Drive | Free | in use | |
| Forum | slack | slack | unknown | rejected |
| Web Server (demo server) | godaddy | payed service | in use | |
| Social Media | twitter.com | free | in use | |
| Social Media | youtube | free | in use | |
| Web Server (web site) | in use | |||
| Translation Management | localize | lokalise.com | Free OS Scheme | in use |