10 Myths About Free Open Source Software (FOSS)

Simon VassIT Consultant

E-Tech Uganda Ltd

Software Freedom Day 2008

In a time when our lives are increasingly dependent on technologies, it is important we

take the time to consider the impact of technology on our lives, and the importance of ensuring technology isn't used to limit us, but

rather to take us further along a path of opportunity, innovation and freedom for all

people. Pia Waugh, President of SFI - 2007 |

10 Myths about OSS

In 1999, Tim O'Reilly, founder of a popular open source-oriented publishing house, gave a

keynote speech to an audience of Fortune 500 executives called "Ten Myths about Open

Source Software". As those myths are still perceived as true today,

let re-examine them.

What is Free and Open Software?

http://www.gnu.org/fry/

http://www.gnu.org/fry/file:///home/svass/Video/sf-large.mpg

Myth #1: It's a Linux-vs-Windows thing.

Full Migration required. All or nothing approach. Most projects are cross-platform, and can be

executed on Microsoft Windows, Apple's OSX (which is itself based on more than 300 open source projects) or Linux.

Myth #2: FOSS is not reliable or supported.

FOSS is inherently unreliable: "MySQL had a defect density that is about six

times lower than the average of comparable proprietary projects.

There is no support: Most large scale project do have companies

that provide paid-for support.

Myth #3: Big companies don't use Open Source software.

About 86% of Fortune 1000 companies are deploying or testing FLOSS, including Sun, HP, IBM.

26% of large companies are mentioning the use of Linux on the desktop

Myth #4: Open Source software is hostile to intellectual property.

The reality is that for most scenarios, this (GPL) clause simply provides a way to prevent appropriation of code without giving back contributions or credit.

Structured FOSS projects actually have a strict acceptance and peer review policy, regarding IP.

Myth #5: Open source software is all about licenses.

OSS introduces the concept of shared development, this "bazaar" style where every developer is free to choose on what part of the code to work,in contrast to the "cathedral" or formalized development approach that is rigid and structured.

This allows collaboration to happen even between competing companies;

Myth #6: If I give away my software to the Open Source community, thousands of developers will suddenly start

working for me for nothing.

For a collaborative community to form, there must be first of all a good communication and interaction strategy.

Investment in community creation and dissemination efforts increases the probability of a two-way effort sharing.

No guarantee that simply "dumping" code will work or be taken up

Myth #7: Open source software only matters to programmers.

Many users can contribute in such aspects even as non-programmers, like translations, documentation. i.e. Firefox in Luganda

Significant cost reduction or dramatically increases the flexibility of the offered solution.

Availability of the source code allows you to pay someone for modifications or ongoing maintenance even if the original FLOSS project dissappears.

Myth #8: There is no money to be made on Free Software.

Defined broadly, FOSS-related services could reach a 32% share of all IT services by 2010*

FOSS potentially saves industry over 36% in software R&D*

FOSS directly supports the 29% share of software that is developed in-house in the EU (43% in the U.S.).*

*as of September 2007

Myth #9: The Open Source movement isn't sustainable

The reality is that in most projects companies and volunteers participate in a collaborative and non-competitive way;

(the GPL) forces companies to reciprocate their efforts by making dissemination of the source code mandatory.

Myth #10: Open Source is playing catch-up to Microsoft and the commercial world.

A study of 500 sourceforge projects, around 12% of the projects sampled were considered innovative this is comparable with propriatory software.

A cited study by Succi, Paulson and Eberlein, declared that open-source software actually fosters more creativity.

Further Information and Support

Sources

http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20070828132340846 http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/opensou

rce/news/myths_1199.html

http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20070828132340846

Cute Finish!

You can do anything!

file:///home/svass/Video/video.mp4

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