What's the next move(s) for the Open Source IPodder developers?
The main question on my mind right now is how will the IPodder software teams move forward after this week's Apple announcement that podcatching integration in ITunes is less then 60 days away? In my opinion, if any of this IPodder software was a product of a software company a product manager would be losing some major sleep over the fact that their lead may be over or at the minimum at major risk if they do nothing to respond. The fact still remains that the Apple announcement is nothing but FUD right now no matter what some are saying. In my opinion, no response just further feeds the FUD planted by this week's hype.
In my opinion this story just may be more then being just about podcasting. In the future this event could be looked at as a reference of the purpose and the leadership of Open Source projects. Think of the questions. Can Open Source lead a revolution? Can Open Source compete and hold a commanding lead in the development of new ideas and Internet protocols?
Since Apple is paying attention now is this done? Was the intent all along just to have the Open Source effort serve as a carrot/prototype to get the attention of a big company and then have them take over (stop me if I start sounding like a content provider here)? If that was the goal, mission accomplished, next project.
If any of the IPodder software teams really believe that there software is not a one feature wonder then the question is how do they move beyond and position their one feature product in the coming weeks? Who will be the face and lead the vision of IPodder to the next features? Is this being discussed anywhere? Does the Podcasting community get what is at risk here if nothing is done? Where are the industry analysts, bloggers, podcaster leaders, podcasters talking about this? We really do need someone talking about this right now!! When has there ever been any Open Source software that has lead a company this big into a product feature? This could be the story of the year!!! If I was an IPodder developer on one of those teams I be thinking deeply about the future right now. It's the the same old software question, is your software a product or just a feature? Keep an eye on the move(s) and plays by the IPodder software developement teams in the next 60 days.
2:37:03 PM 
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