The Advantages of Open Source Software
"Open Source Software is primarily defined as software which is freely redistributable and includes the source code" (Varner, 1999). Open-source software may be seen as the opposite of proprietary software in which the end product is binary only. The idea of open source is not a new one. "The progress of science over half a millennium has been founded upon the notion of "open source"--a model in which the brightest minds contribute their work to the community for the betterment of humankind. Scientists across all major disciplines publish their insights in the public domain, climbing upon the shoulders of others and enabling others to climb upon theirs" (Firmage, 2003). The beginnings of open-source software began, however, in the 1950-1960 time frame when software, along with its source code, was distributed through forums such as the IBM SHARE or the DEC DECUS. The idea began to populate more rapidly though, with the rise of Linux, beginning in 1991 (Gonzalez-Barahona, 2000). Today, the use of open-source software is widespread. In fact, much of the Internet relies on open-source software. Two such examples are Apache, which currently runs 64% of surveyed Internet websites (Netcraft, 2003) and BIND, which in 2000 was estimated to providing 95% of all reverse DNS lookups (Wheeler, 2003). Given this background into the idea of open source and its related software, this paper intends to highlight some of the advantages to developing open source software and the advantages for a business to consider using it.
As a software developer, there are some advantages to developing software in an open source format as opposed to a proprietary, closed source format. First, the ability to vi...
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After a deep depression, I felt totally devastated and without any confidence in myself. However, thanks to the support of my parents, I decided to try again. Very reluctantly, I began studies in computer science at the Universidad de Nariño. Step by step, I found interest in the subjects and courses and, especially, in its application in the real world. However, were two key aspects during my career those changed my conception: my liking for the Open Source Software (OSS) and my admission to a research group.
In this section, we consider perspectives to increase the inclusivity of software products as well as the skills required by personnel involved in the design and development of software.
Standardize procedures and project management. E.g. use the same language or coding and decoding of software.
...have direct access to billions of clients promptly, the developments of open source communities and attitudes, all these captivating developments are sure to transform the autocratic Soviet-like stone monuments of today into interests that people of political economy.
1. There are several advantages to proprietary products over open source products: better quality control issues in creating products; a firmer control over the licensing, either the technology the product is based on or what material (music in this case) can be used with the proprietary device; the potential to build brand loyalty (for example Sony memory cards only work in their products, if you’ve already bought these cards you could be more likely to purchase additional Sony products in the future); pricing – companies could possibly charge a premium price for their proprietary products as there could be few to no competitors in a specific market space; vertical markets (if Sony is providing the device, memory card and music the majority of revenues are staying in-house); and proprietary products could potentially create barriers to entry.
Technological advances have made it easier for analysts as well as policy makers to access all the information they need. Open source information now accounts for 90 percent of the informati...
Source code is the lifeblood of all high tech software organizations. If it falls into the wrong hands, a company will very likely experience damagingly costly repercussions. As a result, most tech companies invest a relatively large chunk of their revenues into network security.
While developing a software many complex activities are required which in turn have dependencies along them. Large software projects require the involvement of programmers, documentation specialists, program managers, architects, database analysts, system analysts, , and trainers and last but not the least testers. Along with their independent responsibilities these persons are also responsible to maintain and keep a check on the software system quality as well.
The study of trust and control in a virtual organization has had researchers emphasizing on the importance of trust as a necessary condition for ensuring the success of these mentioned organizations (2001, p.277). Although we have been led to believe that this trust is the backbone of the virtual work environment, the author Michael Gallivan has explored the Open Source Software (OSS) movement and has made a case for the contrary. He states that “various control mechanisms can ensure the effective performance of autonomous agents who participate in virtual organizations”. He goes on to say that effective performance can be produced through control, efficiency, predictability, and calculability of processes can occur in the absence
The reason for this rapid adoption is Linux’s unique ability to provide powerful functionality, security, compatibility, customization at a more cost-effective price than proprietary vendors. In its inception, there were many perceived concerns to utilizing Linux in a corporate infrastructure.
Internet is a free platform where everyone can launch or release whatever they want to that market. With such characteristic of the Internet, the products, services or creations may, in a se...
Free and easy access is a means of distributing intellectual study that breaks from the traditional subscription model of academic publishing. It has the potential to greatly quicken the pace of scientific discovery, encourage innovation and develop education by reducing barrier to access. Open access moves the costs of publishing so that readers, practitioners and researchers obtain the content at minimum or free of cost. Open access incorporates a range of components such as readership, reuse, copyright, posting and machine readability. Open access benefits users, research institutions and society as a whole by providing accessibility through which everyone can read and use the free publications online, full re-use rights where Intellectual wo...
The internet, initially developed by researchers at MIT and UCLA, had first purposes as a communications system between participating Universities. Walt Howe, Director of Libraries at Babson College, explains that the use of the system was limited to engineers, scientists, and those with the complex knowledge of computer operating systems. Because of the complexity involved many attempted to create a more user efficient system, one that home users could adopt. The most modern and user friendly system was pioneered around 1991 at University of Minnesota as a tool to access files and information local...
The Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world like nothing before. The Internet enables communication and transmission of data between computers at different locations. The Internet is a computer application that connects tens of thousands of interconnected computer networks that include 1.7 million host computers around the world. The basis of connecting all these computers together is by the use of ordinary telephone wires. Users are then directly joined to other computer users at there own will for a small connection fee per month. The connection conveniently includes unlimited access to over a million web sites twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There are many reasons why the Internet is important these reasons include: The net adapts to damage and error, data travels at 2/3 the speed of light on copper and fiber, the internet provides the same functionality to everyone, the net is the fastest growing technology ever, the net promotes freedom of speech, the net is digital, and can correct errors. Connecting to the Internet cost the taxpayer little or nothing, since each node was independent, and had to handle its own financing and its own technical requirements.
Software engineering is important in today’s society because we use the products of software engineering almost daily. We use the products of software engineering in objects as simple as our car keys to objects as complicated as supercomputers. The past, present, and future of software engineering is quite interesting. This paper will provide information about this field of study and why software engineering is going to be around a while.