Open Source Software

by Group 9

What is Open Source?

·    Free Software - Think speech, not beer.

·    Software and Acedemia

·   Acedemia has been open for thousand of years

·   Free software is like scientific discoveries, etc.

·   Some science is kept secret for industry, like software

Definition of Open Source

·    Free Redistribution

·    Source Code

·    Derived Works

·    Integrity of the Author’s Source Code

·    No Discrimination

·    Distribution of License

·    No License Restrictions

History of Open Source

·    Mainframe software of IBM and others

·   Sell the hardware, give away the software

·    Richard Stallman’s GNU project

·   Software should be free

·   The General Public License

·    Linus Torvalds and Linux

The GNU Project

·    A return to the open exchange of software that existed in the 1970’s

·    Computer users should be free to modify programs to fit their needs

·    The General Public License

·    Revived the hacker community

·    GNU Emacs, GCC, etc.

Linux and Open Source

·    Center of current Open Source popularity

·    Success may stem from the oversight of a select few

·   Torvalds has a god-like status

·   Without a clear leader, Linux may not have succeed

Benefits of Open Source

·    Collaboration of thousands of programmers

·    Best solution wins - Survival of fittest

·    Translates to better code and quicker repairing of bugs

·    Better documented code

·    Creates deeper market penetration

Drawbacks of Open Source

·    Loss of control

·   No one is in charge of the software

·    Not a Silver Bullet for better software

·    Business model is difficult

·   Using GPL, users can obtain your software for free

·   Most companies make money off of supporting the product

·    Forking

Forking

·    When two competing solutions are equally accepted, the software may split forever, fracturing the market

·    BSD based operating systems

·    Linux has very little forking due to the oversight of Torvalds and others.

The Cathedral and The Bazaar  by Eric Raymond

·    A cathedral is built by a few artisans, and is not open to the public until completion

·    A bazaar allows for the free flow of goods and is open to all at all times

·    An open-source project requires a dynamic person to lead it

·    Influenced Netscape to open Mozilla

The Open Source Model

·    Begin programming, and create an early version

·    Release to the public, and begin to incorporate bug fixes from users

·    Continue control over the project, but allow outside design innovations

Business Models

·    Support Sellers

·   Red Hat

·    Loss Leader

·   Netscape’s Mozilla

·    Widget Frosting

·   Silicon Graphic’s Samba

·    Accessorizing

·   O’Reilly Associates

Companies

The Open Source Movement

·    Cultish

·   Still largely a community of hackers

·    Most are committed to both the movement and the software they work on.

·    Often concentrate too much on destroying Microsoft

Conclusions

·    Open source can be a viable option

·    Research the implications, and the amount of control you want

·    Recognize the limitations of the model

·    Giving away the code to build a better product may build value