2025 FOSS4G NA | Selling the Contemporary Enterprise Software Experience - Brian Timoney
In this session from FOSS4G NA 2025, Brian Timoney of IQGeo delivers a thought-provoking presentation titled Selling the Contemporary Enterprise Software Experience. Brian reflects on the evolution of open-source geospatial software—from the early days of "selling free" to the modern era where tools like PostgreSQL and PostGIS have won the developer community's hearts but face new challenges in enterprise environments.
Brian explores the critical factors that drive enterprise software adoption, including user experience, security, and the "derisking" of technology for decision-makers. He offers a candid look at the importance of maintaining open-source infrastructure in a culture obsessed with the "new and shiny," and makes a bold prediction about the future of GIS in the age of AI.
Highlights:
🛰️ The "Victory" of Open Source: Reflecting on the journey from Victoria 2007 to PostgreSQL topping the Stack Overflow developer surveys
🔄 Selling "Free" to the Enterprise: Why leading with "free" often breeds suspicion in corporate boardrooms and how to pivot to value
🧩 User Experience Beyond GIS: Designing map interfaces for field workers with gloves on, rather than just for other GIS professionals
⚙️ The Enterprise Security Nightmare: Lessons from recent high-profile geospatial hacks and the paramount importance of data security
🌐 Data Quality in the Age of AI: How artificial intelligence might finally help solve the industry's persistent "suboptimal data" issues
🏢 The Maintenance Challenge: Navigating the countercultural impulse required to support mature, reliable software over long time horizons
🏗️ The Future of GIS: Why the "world's favorite GIS" by 2030 might be an AI model like Claude rather than traditional desktop software
For more content like this check out www.projectgeospatial.com
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