1. Dr. P. Malliga
Sr. System Analyst
Computer Centre
NITTTR, Chennai

2.  Understand the features of Open Source
 Comprehend the Impact of the Open Source
Model
 Appreciate Your Responsibilities in Using
Open Source

3.  Open Source is a development model
volunteer
volunteer
volunteer
volunteer
Project lead

4.  Open Source - it's public collaboration on a software project
 According to the Open Source Initiative (OSI), it can be defined
this
way:
– “Open source promotes software reliability and quality by supporting
independent peer review and rapid evolution of source code. To be
OSI certified, the software must be distributed under a license that
guarantees the right to read, redistribute, modify, and use the software
freely.”
 Open source can also apply to the popular movement of
individuals, organizations, and companies that seek to put such
software into mainstream usage

5. According to the Open Source Initiative, Open Source
consists of 10 points, which are reproduced below
1. Free redistribution
2. Source code
3. Derived works
4. Integrity of the author’s source code
5. No discrimination against persons or groups
6. No discrimination against fields of endeavor
7. Distribution of license
8. License must not be specific to a product
9. License must not restrict other software
10.License must be technology-neutral

6.  Can be a major source of innovation
– Innovation can happen anywhere – any time
– Development through “open communities” leads to potentially broad
ideas and creativity
 Community Approach
– The Internet has changed how we address technical innovation
– Shapes technical leaders thinking and approach to broad collaboration
 Good approach to developing emerging standards
– Popular Open Source projects can become de facto / open standards
– Wide distribution/deployment
 Enterprise customers are asking for it
– Increase choice and flexibility – adoption/use of Open Source can
reduce time to market

7.  Open Source is a licensing distribution model too
◦ In many ways, just like commercial software
◦ You need to pay attention to restrictions and
obligations
 There are many kinds of Open Source licensing
models
◦ GNU General Public License (“GPL”)
◦ GNU Lesser General Public License (“LGPL”)
◦ BSD, MIT, Apache
◦ Mozilla, IBM, Apple, Sun

8.  FOSS stands for Free and Open Source Software
– Sometimes referred to as FLOSS (Free/Libre and Open
Source Software)
 This term is used for software that satisfies either the
definition in free or the definition in Open Source, when
there is no need to make a distinction
 For an excellent study of Open Source Software and
Free Software see David Wheeler’s paper
– http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html

9.  Code
Some popular world-class open source projects are Linux,
Apache, MySQL, PHP, Ruby
 Collaboration
Collaborative tools are the backbone of the open source way. Tools
include version control systems, IRC, mailing lists, wikis, blogs to
help developers working on building code together.
 Community
Sharing ideas and developing code across the Internet with
developers all over the globe forms the community for most
open source projects.

10.  The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a non-profit
corporation founded by Richard Stallman on 4
October 1985 to support the free software
movement, a copyleft-based movement which
aims to promote the universal freedom to create,
distribute and modify computer software.
 “think of free as in free speech, not as in free
beer“.

11. The GNU Project is a free
software, mass
collaboration project,
announced on September
27, 1983, by Richard
Stallman at MIT

12. What is Open Source Software (OSS)?
• OSS: software licensed to users with these freedoms:
– to run the program for any purpose,
– to study and modify the program, and
– to freely redistribute copies of either the original or modified
program (without royalties, etc.)
• Original term: “Free software” (confused with no-price)
• Other synonyms: libre sw, free-libre sw, FOSS, FLOSS
• Antonyms: proprietary software, closed software
• Not non-commercial; OSS almost always commercial
[For details see “Free Software Definition” & “Open Source Definition”]

13. OSS is clearly commercial
by other measures too
• Many OSS projects supported by commercial companies
– IBM, Sun, Red Hat (solely OSS, market cap $4.3B), Novell,
Microsoft (WiX, IronPython, SFU, Codeplex site)
• Big money in OSS companies
– Citrix bought XenSource ($500 million), Sun buying MySQL ($1
billion), Red Hat bought JBoss ($350 million), ...
– IBM reports invested $1B in 2001, made it back in 2002
– Venture capital invested $1.44B in OSS 2001-2006 [InfoWorld]
• Paid developers
– Linux: 37K/38K changes; Apache: >1000 committers, 1 unpaid
• OSS licenses/projects approve of commercial support
• Sell service/hw, commoditize complements, avoid costs
[See http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/commercial-
floss.html]

14. Traditional Approach
( Brooks law)
Open Source Approach
( Linus Law)
Hierarchy Network
Experts Peers
Teams Communities
Cathedral Bazaar
Perfection Improvements
Construction Evolution

15. “The next generation of computing is
being led by users, rather than vendors.”

16.  Cost Effectiveness
 Security
 Availability of Source Code
 Open Standard and Vendor independence
 Reduced Maintains Cost
 Better Quality Control
 Localization
 Legally Free
 Easy Evaluation

18. How Open Source
Movement has
changed the world of
Education

19.  Think Global Act Local
 If you want to leverage open source locally, you have to
participate with the best globally
 Learn from what you see, code and hear globally
 Take that knowledge and educate others in your team locally
 Build your local ecosystem
 Use open source software, set an example
 Support others who use open source software
 Its cost-effective, transparent and makes money too

20. Colleges
Organisation
Online
Encyclopedias
Online
Collections
Operating
Systems
Software
Browsers
Education
Individuals

21.  OpenCourseWare Consortium
◦ This group now includes members from 16 countries, not
including the 14 additional affiliate organizations in its
fold. Of these, China is the largest participant with 30
colleges that are active in OpenCourseWare Consortium
programs under the organizational group CORE (China
Open Resources for Education).
 Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s
◦ Global Education and Learning Community
 Open Source Education Foundation — Purpose is to
enhance K-12 education through the use of
technologies and concepts derived from The Open
Source and Free Software movement.
 School Forge — Mission is to unify independent
organizations that advocate, use, and develop open
resources for primary and secondary education.
 Global Network Academy — Purpose is the research
and development of open source tools that promote
distance learning and online communities.

22.  Wikipedia
 Citizendium - Sanger's experimental new wiki
project.
 Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) -
Stanford University's highly monitored source
that meets academic standards and that can be
used for citations.
 Connexions - A Rice University initiative,
Connexions is more than an encyclopedia in that
approaches learning in modules (a non-linear
approach) that develop into courses. This
resource is so free with its content that it even
offers to share its technology.

23.  Project Gutenberg: This open access project
seems to fade in comparison to the updated
presence provided by Google Scholar Beta.
However, Project Gutenberg — launched in
1971 by Michael Hart — provides the first
example of a free library project and the first
producer of free electronic books. And,
despite the fact that flashier faces have
moved into this arena, Project Gutenberg still
enjoys over two million downloads per month

24.  The Internet Archive also shores this category
as an example of an open access resource.
This nonprofit online library includes texts,
audio, moving images, and software as well
as archived Web pages in their collections.
Like a paper library, this archive provides
open access to researchers, historians,
scholars, and the general public.

25.  Directory of Open Access Journals so you can
find documents that might fit your interests.
 DOAJ AS OF TODAY
6851 journals
3098 journals searchable
at article level
612784 articles

26.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):
◦ MIT's OCW began to provide users with open access
to class syllabi, lecture notes, course calendars,
problem sets and solutions, exams, reading lists,
and even a selection of video lectures in 2003.
 NPTEL by Indian Government

27.  Linux

29.  open source software/free software (OSS/FS)

30.  Google

31.  Evergreen
 Koha
 NewGenlib
 OpenBiblio
 PMB

32.  With resources like EDUCAUSE that focus on
how open source projects can benefit
teachers and students

33.  Linux/Open-Source offers more than cost
savings
◦ Freedom, Flexibility; Platform to build a
business on
◦ Set of commodity software components that
can be put together for different purposes
 Open-Source Software is more than Linux
◦ Sendmail, Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL, LTSP
◦ JBoss, SQL-Ledger, OpenCRM, SpamAssassin
◦ Evolution, OpenOffice, Mozilla, KDE/Gnome,
GAIM

34.  Linux on the desktop is a reality
◦ Email, Web Browser, Office Suite, IM Client,
PDF Reader/Writer, File Manager
 Server-centric computing
◦ Thin Clients (old, low-cost PCs) with Thick Server
◦ Simplified Administration
◦ OpenOffice can read/write MS-Office file
formats
◦ Virus-free, spam-free environment!

35.  Software Market: Piracy and Non-consumption
 Server-side usage increasing
 Open Office on desktops
 Lack of Government support
 Windows/Office hardwired into school
curriculum
 Lack of a packaged software distribution
network
 Need to shift from consumption to production
 Software development opportunity - can we lead
the world?
 Colleges as focal points for change
 Enabler of the New, Emerging India

36.  In India open source software will have to
come and stay in a big way for the benefit of
our billion of people. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
 ICFOSS in Kerala

37.  Check out these websites
◦ opensource.org
◦ wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software
◦ apache.org
◦ fsf.org
◦ linux.com
◦ dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
 Serious questions? Email
osi@opensource.org
 Thanks for your time!

38. Questions ???