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Up one levelThe Strategic Value of Moving to Linux
Novell Business White Paper on strategic reasons to move to Linux.
Open Source Software - Perspectives for Development
A report to help information technology decision-makers in developing countries understand the dynamics associated with implementing open source software solutions.
Why Open Source Software / Free Software?
This paper provides quantitative data that, in many cases, using open source software / free software is a reasonable or even superior approach to using their proprietary competition according to various measures. This paper’s goal is to show that you should consider using OSS/FS when acquiring software. This paper examines market share, reliability, performance, scalability, security, and total cost of ownership. It also has sections on non-quantitative issues, unnecessary fears, OSS/FS on the desktop, usage reports, other sites providing related information, and ends with some conclusions. An appendix gives more background information about OSS/FS.
Free/Libre and Open Source Software: Survey and Study
Reports on the use of Free/Open Source Software, activities, usage and policy in public sector, business models and a survey of developers and source code
Free/Libre/Open Source Software Asian Developers Online Survey (FLOSS-ASIA)
As part of the "Survey of human resource development in open source software engineering" currently being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. conducted an online survey entitled "Free/Libre/Open Source Software Asian Developers Online Survey." The objective of the survey was to determine the situation regarding open source software/free software (OSS/FS) engineers in Japan by gathering information directly from open source/free software developers themselves. The results will be used in personnel training in relevant technical fields, in planning policy for technology promotion and other areas.
We Pledge Allegiance to the Penguin
We pledge allegiance to the penguin, and the intellectual property regime for which he stands. One nation, under Linux, with free music and open source software for all. Welcome to Brazil! An article on Brazil's stance on medical patents, free content and free software.
Opening the Sources of Accountability
This paper analyzes the concept of accountability in an open environment and explores the implications in two mission–critical application fields in which software plays a significant role — electronic voting, and electronic medical records. It further considers the potential remedies to accountability’s erosion that free and open source software offer, and the ways in which accountability can be generalized to collective action if we understand it less as punishability and more as a culture that encourages the prevention of risk and harm. With such reconceptualized accountability in mind, I find that code visibility, a self–imposed standard of care and sensible licensing arrangements, are a potent, practical, and effective alternative to the strict liability standards offered as a solution to the accountability problem by earlier scholars.
Open Source Is for Pigs
While the US tries to sandbag a UN conference on information technology, international open-source groups are making connections.
Open source: Open for businesss
Computer Sciences Corp's. (CSC) 96-page report on Open Source software and its potential benefits to business and government.
FLOSS Developers as a Social Formation
Developers of Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) are often referred to as a community or as a scene. But so far this seems mostly just a rough expression. This paper takes a closer look at FLOSS developers and their projects to find out how they work, what holds them together and how they interact. Community and social movement seem not to apply as descriptors. Looking at norms, values, structures, and conflict resolution, a hacker subculture appears which is compartmentalised into differently organised projects. By testing empirical findings against various theoretical approaches, ideas for further research are identified.
Reducing transaction costs in information infrastructures using FLOSS
Firms, or more generally, organizations, develop and become larger along time, using more and more computers to work. This growth in the number of computers leads to a growth of software use (operating systems and their applications, for example) and, as a result, to the growth in the number of software use/access licenses to be purchased and managed. For the owners of software intellectual property rights, this process leads to a greater supervision of users to regulate lawful access to software. The situation occurs when all of the software used by an organization is proprietary. This results in some costs — transaction costs — that are not usually taken into account by administrators and managers. What happens if FLOSS is used? This paper shows that this choice leads to a reduction in transaction costs in terms of computation costs and in terms of the number of managed contracts, which can be numerically reduced by half.
Free software: Some Brazilian translations
Democratic ideals, defended by the free software movement, are transformed in Brazilian politics, leading both to further free software development and a stronger democracy.
Contextualising knowledge–making in Linux user groups
This paper demonstrates the values of local tinkering, soft skills and tacit knowledge in FLOSS innovation. The author investigates how locally defined software problems and locally crafted solutions towards the problems are codified and translated into expert knowledge within FLOSS innovation through intense hands–on practices and ongoing debate. The process of translating local knowledge into formal expertise is analysed in light of data collected from the York Linux User Group (YLUG). This paper hopes to shed some more light on FLOSS development.
A case for Indian insourcing: Open Source interest in IT job expansion
The controversy surrounding the "off–shoring" of IT jobs from the United States to other countries, in particular to India, has become a focal point in American political discourse and has been widely represented in the media. Disturbingly, little attention has been paid to this occurrence beyond its implications for American employment opportunities. Representing Indian and American IT workers as unified groups whose interests are mutually exclusive and opposed to one another is problematic given the material realities that propel "outsourcing." Among the potential benefits of growing demand for, and supply of, skilled IT workers is increased participation in the Open Source Software (OSS) movement. Expanding global involvement offers a significant opportunity for developing countries to influence the direction, importance, and future of OSS.
Choosing Open Source - A guide for civil society organizations
Developed by Commons and the APC, this guide provides civil society organizations with both an introduction to open source and a framework for finding software that will meet their needs. Designed to be accessible and helpful to non-profit managers and others responsible for high level technology decisions.
Realities of Free/Libre/Open Source Software developers in Japan and Asia
This paper reports the results of two surveys, providing some description of FLOSS developers in Japan and Asia, and providing perspectives on regional differences among developers in Japan, Asia, Europe, and the U.S.
Using Open Source Software – the HealthInsite Experience
A white paper on the use of open source software by HealthInsite. HealthInsite is the Australian Government’s Internet gateway designed to provide consumers with easy access to reliable, high quality and relevant information about health and wellbeing so that they can make more informed healthcare decisions.
The Emerging Economic Paradigm of Open Source
Open Source developers have, perhaps without conscious intent, created a new and surprisingly successful economic paradigm for the production of software. Examining that paradigm can answer a number of important questions. An insightful and informative paper by Bruce Perens.
Open Source in Developing Countries
This study published by Sida has examined the open source phenomenon in general, and in particular as it relates to developing countries. It discusses the history of open source, how it works and why developers contribute to open source. It presents a strategy framework and map for developing countries to go down the open source path.
Bridges Software Comparison Report
Bridges.org study identifies harsh realities of using free/open source software (FOSS) and proprietary software in public computer labs in Africa
Management & Virtual Decentralised Networks: The Linux Project
The MIT paper traces the history of business management structures, like bureaucracies, the assembly line, closed hierarchies, strategic alliances, economic webs, and the "learning paradigm," and then compares the open Linux-style of networked organization; virtual, decentralized collaboration with Microsoft, "the archetypical centralised model in the industry". The paper concludes that the Linux development style is superior, precisely because it favors and enables creativity and flexibility, by allowing anyone to participate, including users. Shawn writes about the role Free Software plays in making it possible to learn, so as to be able to participate.
Abandoning "Skim & Abandon"
The truth is, in developing economies, there is little support for any kind of software, whether it's open source or proprietary. Even where labor is cheap, the tracks are blocked for the development of a strong software industry. Let's see why.
Private-Public Partnerships in Open Source
Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) have the potential to create new promises or fulfill old ones. Open source PPPs are favorite vehicles for spurring ICT development in emerging economies. Today's efforts may be dramatically improved by learning from successful projects in other fields such as pharmacology and advanced technology development. Five principles for improving open source PPP projects are reviewed by Technetra's Robert Adkins.
Policies of United Nations Sytem Organizations Towards The Use of Open Source Software (OSS) for Development
This report in the framework of using information and communication technologies (ICT) for development, to contribute in raising awareness on the potential role of open source software (OSS) for the achievement of specific objectives set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Plan of Action adopted in 2003 by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
Get the Truth on Linux Management
In this study of over 200 Linux enterprises, Enterprise Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) found that the perception that Linux has a higher TCO cost than Windows is no longer accurate. Sophisticated management tools now allow Linux management to be fast, effective, and inexpensive. With far lower acquisition costs, Linux is now a cost-effective alternative to Windows.
Policies of United Nations Sytem Organizations Towards The Use of Open Source Software (OSS) in the Secretariats
The objective of this report is to contribute to raising awareness of the increasing use of open source software (OSS) by public administrations worldwide and to highlight some of the requirements to be met by United Nations system organizations in creating an enabling environment if they intend to make more use of OSS as indicated in the new system-wide United Nations information and communication technologies (ICT) strategy
Open, but not as usual
An article from the Economist on the limitations of open-source models as they move beyond software and into other businesses.
Free and Open Source Software at the United Nations
Advances in technology have revolutionized the way people live, learn and work, but these benefits have not spread around the world evenly. A digital divide exists between communities in their access to computers, the Internet, and other technologies. The United Nations is aware of the importance of including technology development as part of a larger effort to bridge this global digital divide. This article looks at how various United Nations agencies use free and open source software to meet the goal of putting technology at the service of people around the world.
Economic impact of FLOSS on innovation and competitiveness of the EU ICT sector
The information economy is a large market. Including the provision of infrastructure and services for the creation, exchange and processing of information and communication services as well as the sales of information itself, this market is now in the range of 10% of GDP in most developed countries, and accounts for more than half of their economic growth. Software is one of the key elements driving ICTs’ role in the economy, and the structure, competitiveness, performance of the ICT industry has potential to be strongly affected by Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS1). Financed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry, a study has been carried out by a team led by UNU-MERIT, the Netherlands, to identify the role of FLOSS in the economy, its direct impact on the ICT sector, its indirect impact on ICT-related sectors and to recommend policies based on forecasted scenarios. Amongst the key findings is the positive economic impact that FOSS has for the EU including creation of new business and jobs.
Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies: A Survey
What are the ethical implications of the semantic web, biometrics, radio-frequency identification, location-based services, mesh and ubiquitous networking, grid computing and other new computing technologies? This study released by UNESCO analyses likely consequences of different technological choices.
