Pentaho

 View Only
Back to discussions
Expand all | Collapse all

Mondrian: Is It Heading Towards Closed-Source?

This thread has been viewed 11 times

  • 1.  Mondrian: Is It Heading Towards Closed-Source?

    Posted 06-03-2024 04:28

    Background

    Mondrian is an OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) engine that plays a crucial role in the Pentaho BI suite. It has been a significant open-source project, enabling extensive data analysis capabilities for developers and organizations.

    The Issue

    Recently, while attempting to compile Mondrian from its master branch on GitHub, I encountered an issue. The POM file specifies a repository that requires authentication:

    <repository>
  <id>pentaho-public</id>
  <name>Pentaho Public</name>
  <url>https://repo.orl.eng.hitachivantara.com/artifactory/pnt-mvn/</url>
  <releases>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
    <updatePolicy>daily</updatePolicy>
  </releases>
  <snapshots>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
    <updatePolicy>interval:15</updatePolicy>
  </snapshots>
</repository>

    Without access to this repository, the build process fails, making it impossible to compile the project locally.

    Potential Explanations

    This situation raises a critical question: Is Mondrian moving towards becoming closed-source? Historically, open-source projects have maintained publicly accessible repositories. The requirement for authentication could indicate a shift in strategy, possibly towards more controlled distribution.

    Impact on the Community

    If Mondrian indeed becomes closed-source, this would significantly impact the community:

    • Developers: Those contributing to Mondrian would face barriers, reducing the number of community contributions.
    • Users: Organizations relying on Mondrian might need to reconsider their data analysis tools.

    Call for Transparency

    I urge Pentaho and Hitachi Vantara to clarify their intentions regarding Mondrian's future. Transparency is crucial for the community to understand the direction and prepare accordingly.

    Suggestions

    In the meantime, developers and users might need to explore alternative open-source OLAP solutions or seek community-driven forks of Mondrian if it indeed becomes closed-source.

    Conclusion

    The open-source nature of Mondrian has been a significant strength, fostering innovation and collaboration. Clarification from the maintainers will help the community navigate these uncertainties.



    ------------------------------
    none
    ------------------------------


Related Content