Interview: Javier Paniza on OpenXava and Open Source

by Sam Dean - Aug. 15, 2008Comments (10)

Are you familiar with OpenXava? Not everyone is, but it has big fans in the Java development community. It's a popular web application framework for developing business applications. It generates Java (JavaEE/J2EE) web applications that can be deployed on any Java Portal Server as portlet applications. OpenXava is noted for saving developers programming time by delivering business components that they can adjust, rather than making them build applications from the ground up. Javier Paniza, Creator and Lead Developer, checked in with us on where OpenXava is going and other open source goings on.

OStatic: A lot has been said about the reason people contribute to Open Source.  What are your reasons for getting involved?

Javier Paniza: I initally created this project because I was obsessed by the idea of being productive in creating business applications using Java and OOP. Java is very portable and scalable, but is not productive in development terms. That's especially true if you compare it with the traditional alternatives, such as 4GL, RPG, Visual Basic, etc. OpenXava achieves this goal: productivity with Java for creating business applications.

OStatic: What technologies does OpenXava use?

Javier Paniza: OpenXava is a model-driven framework. That is, you write your model classes, the Java classes that represent the business concepts, and OpenXava provides you a complete application, ready for production. The base source for the applications is Java POJOs annotated with Java annotations. The application you end up with is a Java Web application deployable on any Java application server. OpenXava also generates Java Portlets (JSR-168) deployabled in any Java Portal (such as Liferay, Jetspeed or WebSphere Portal). Since version 3.1 (now in beta), it supports AJAX.

OStatic: What products are your closest alternatives?  What advantages/disadvantages does OpenXava have compared to them?

Javier Paniza: With regard to NakedObjects, and RomaFramework, OpenXava uses Java POJOs with JPA (standard and very common) while these frameworks use propietary conventions. OpenXava also has better layout possibilites. OpenXava produces portal applications while these frameworks produces plain web applications. Regarding JMatter, it also uses propietary conventions. OpenXava produces web and portal applications while JMatter produces desktop applications. Trails is another alternative, but OpenXava has better layout possibilites.

OStatic: Who is your typical user?

Javier Paniza: Java developers that want to develop business applications using Java EE, looking for productivity.

Javier Paniza: Version 3.1 will suport AJAX. Version 3.2 will have a more rich UI by means of a JavaScript toolkit, maybe jQuery UI, Dojo, YUI or Scriptaculous. There are a lot of exciting possibilities for version 4.0, but the shape of the version 4 is not defined yet, it depenss on the comunity feedbackand work.

OStatic: How would you say OpenXava benefits from being open source?

Javier Paniza: The benefits have been great, and very sweet. OpenXava evolved from a project used by 5 to 10 developers and developed by only one--me--to a project with more than 20 committers and used all around the globe, with more than 70,000 downloads now.

OStatic: How have you monetized your project thus far?

Javier Paniza: OpenXava has no business model. Indeed, a true open source project cannot have a business model because an open source project is not from a company or individual, but a creation shared by a community. On the other hand, it's possible for a company to have a business model around an open source project, but this was  not the case until now for OpenXava. Currently it is used inside Gestión 400 for creating the commercial business applications that Gestión 400 sells, and in exchange Gestión 400 sponsors OpenXava as open source project. Also, recently some companies have asked us for training on OpenXava.

OStatic: Thanks, Javier.









Browse Blog

Vijaya Kumar Reddy Maddela uses OStatic to support Open Source, ask and answer questions and stay informed. What about you?



10 Comments
 

@ Javier: "a true open source project cannot have a business model" - I disagree vehemently. I would rephrase it to "in order for a true open source project to thrive it HAS TO HAVE a business model".

0 Votes

Hi anon and cdharris: I think that you do not understand me. An open source project cannot has a business model itself. Because it's a shared good, it's not a company or indiviual. Yes, a company or indiviual can has a business model around an open source project, and that is fantastic. And of course, this does not exclude OpenXava. Please, read my comment in the interview carefully, and you'll see that I'm not against professional open source. For example, I can made a lot of money 'Teaching Spanish', I, or my company, can be profesional of 'Teaching Spanish', but the Spanish language is not mine, it's a shared good of a community. Spanish language have no a business model.

Do you grasp my idea?

0 Votes

Great point Javier - I think that is exactly what Open Source is all about. The ability to collectively creating a shared resource that anyone can take and monetize.

0 Votes

Thanks for clearing up the semantics, Javier, and thanks for a wonderful set of contributions. I guess the point I was trying to make is that there ARE projects that can a business model. Being open to community contribution doesn't mean that they cannot 'raise' money. I agree w/ the Spanish Language argument, but take the example of a town - they can have a 'biz model' - they can raise money via funds or donations or other initiatives and use those funds to improve the property. Look at Wikipedia. There too, the content is not 'owned' by anyone, but they are raising funds that keep their servers running, and allows them to expand. Now, say a project was lacking a good UI, or a language translation or something, it might make sense for that project to raise funds that, rather than being given out as dividends to people, can be used for improving the overall quality of the software.

0 Votes

And, in all honesty, it is guys like you who are keeping the movement going, so kudos to you once again!

0 Votes

Hi Craig, yes, I agree with you. The money is very important, even for an open source project. Professional developers and professional services around an open source project gives to the project a great value.

I'm very interested in looking for a business model around OpenXava. Yes, I'm in favor of professional open source. But, in the other hand, OpenXava is a shared tool, that people of others companies use, and even contribute to it. And those who contributes to OpenXava are also owners of OpenXava.

That is, I love to make money from OpenXava, but OpenXava is not mine, it's also yours.

0 Votes

and mine ;)

0 Votes

@crazykorean, you crazy!

0 Votes

Hi Javier - those are definitely excellent points. Are you actively doing anything to raise funds so to speak, for the project itself? If you were to raise funds, I'm sure there are things like documentation, installs, UI, marketing, etc. that you could spend it on too, to enhance the 'public good'!

0 Votes

Hi Craig.

@cdharris: Are you actively doing anything to raise funds so to speak, for the project itself? No, at the moment. OpenXava is sponsored by Gestión 400. Currently, we are concentrated in the technical part, needed by the comercial applications developed by OpenXava by Gestión 400. In the other hand, some companies ask us for training on OpenXava. For sure that additional funds could be very useful for OpenXava.

0 Votes
Share Your Comments

If you are a member, to have your comment attributed to you. If you are not yet a member, Join OStatic and help the Open Source community by sharing your thoughts, answering user questions and providing reviews and alternatives for projects.