I'd like to use this thread to discuss the vision of the committee.
One thing I'd like to bring up here is developing a better understanding our target audience. For instance, if some actuaries are already using sophisticated methods and tools that are not open source, then I would venture to guess that they would not be our target audience. If other actuaries are currently using less sophisticated or efficient techniques, I'd be curious as to why this is the case. Is it due to budget constraints (i.e., can't afford the other software)? Is it because they have limited data? Is it because they don't even know how to use more advanced methods (i.e., an educational issue rather than a tool issue)?
I think once we know who the different possible customers are and understand their needs, then we can respond in a way that is most effective for them. We can set more specific goals for the committee, and better identify what resources we need to accomplish those goals (i.e., programmers, educators, how much time is needed, etc.).