Open Source

From LIS 460 Summer 2007

created by --Covintre 21:03, 24 July 2007 (EDT)

1 Open Source defined
2 Open Source Projects
3 Using Open Source within a school community
4 Questions I still had
5 References & Articles

Open Source defined

Created as a means to unhinge monopolies within the computer vendor world, Open Source can provide transparency, flexibility, and user control for software. At it's best, Open Source allows users to be creators; to collaborate, customize and transform the computer programs used to better serve their (and then other users') needs.

Open Source is a term used to describe software, hardware, and other computer programming in which the source code for that program is accessible (via license or public domain arrangement). This, however is not the only requirement. Open source not only allows users access and usage to the code, but also lets users edit and reconfigure the software, and (based of license agreement) can allow users to redistribute the modified form.

Open Source, as a term and process, has gotten more convoluted as technology has progressed. As such, there currently is no easy way to define it. This article, What is Open Source? is a good starting point for more information.

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Open Source Projects

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Open Source Initiative

Founded in 1998, this non-profit corporation advocates Open Source projects and works to educate about the benefits of Open Source. One of the main goals of this group is to create a standardized definition of Open Source. The Open Source Initiative, or OSI, has a current definition which lists 10 key criteria. They would like to see this, or some variation of it, become adopted as an international standard.

Currently, these 10 things must to apply to be considered Open Source, according to the OSI

Free Redistribution
Source Code
Derived Works
Integrity of The Author's Source Code
No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
Distribution of License
License Must Not Be Specific to a Product
License Must Not Restrict Other Software
License Must Be Technology-Neutral

For details on each of these items, read the entire Open Source Definition.

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Open Source Software

Software is the most commonly distributed type of Open Source product. According to the Wikipedia entry accessed July 24, 2007, "software developed ...should exhibit the following patterns:

Users should be treated as co-developers
Early Releases
Frequent Integration
Several Versions
High Modularization
Dynamic decision making structure"

This definition says little in regards to distribution, and indeed, this and licensing seem to be the two key issues for developers and users. As stated earlier, this is an evolving term, and while much is defined within a specific software license, there is also still much to learn and discover within the realm of Open Source Software.

Wikipedia has a list of Open Source Software Packages which you can link to here.

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More Open Source of note

Feel free to add to this list

Linux
Mozilla makers of Firefox, Thunderbird, Bugzilla, and others
Movable Type
PHP
In a sense, wikis are a form of Open Source software, specifically wikis that allow users to create new formats and templates which will work within a wiki, like those in Wikipedia

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Open Source Library Projects

Georgia's OPAC The state of Georgia uses this Open Source OPAC called PINES
LibLime Open Source catalog provider. Have various softwares available including Koha, PINES, and YakPak
Open Library an Open Source Library to compile all book information in one location

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Using Open Source within a school community

Teachers & Administrators

Teachers and Administrators may already be recipients of certain Open Source softwares without realizing it. If a school uses Mozilla Firefox as it's web browser, it is participating in Open Source products. Schools may also use a program like Open Office as it is both free and open source to provide tools for creating document and spreadsheets. Because other users also contribute to its creation, teachers and administrators would be able to benefit from these upgrades and changes. In addition, teachers and administrators (and IT departments) could also create their own elements to add to these items to help the programs work best for the school environment.

Open Source products will also allow more than one user access to design. Using a program that is Open Source could give more teachers and administrators control over the elements of the School Web Page for example, reducing the workload for the webmaster, and allowing teachers or administrators to really include what they want, the way they want it.

Students

As stated earlier, wikis have many aspects of Open Source products. Creating a wiki with a class then, could help a class understand both the transparency of the internet and the flexibility of computers, programming, and technology.

Students in courses like "Computer Programming," "Web Design" or "C++" could possible take their coursework further by taking it into Open Source software or programs. By translating lessons into an Open Source project, work could then be shared and immediately usable on a larger scale. The relevance of student work as well as the relation to real world application could be a great boost for tech (and non-tech) savvy students.

Library Teachers

Aside from Wikis and WebBrowsers, there are two other interesting aspects of the world of Open Source in relation to libraries.

One is the Open Library. This library project, with aims to collect all the books and their data around the world and have it visible on the Internet is looking for MARC records from libraries. Currently, their "At my local library" link goes to WorldCat, but perhaps if more libraries share their data, they will be able to make direct links to a specific library. This is definitely a project in its early stages that bears watching.

The other are the ideas of Open Source OPACs like those made by LibLime]. Ideally, an Open Source OPAC would allow a library teacher to truly create the ideal card catalog for the student body at the school. A library teacher would then be able to share source code for his/her changes as well as learning the changes other Library Teachers made to create the best OPAC for the school. It does seem like a crazy ideal, but it also puts the focus of OPACs squarely back on the user, which sounds ideal.

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Questions I still had

...after all the reading and researching. It seems I am still, a bit, at square one. Even the most simple question have slightly convoluted answers, but I hope more is becoming clear.

My question: Are Open Source products free?

Answer: Not necessarily, it depends on the product and the provider. As I understand it, Open Source is not the same as Freeware or Free Software, though some of those products could also be Open Source.

For some Open Source items, there is little cost. With others, there is the initial cost of permission giving for using, changing, and distributing. In other words, a company can still have proprietary claims over their Open Source product even as it shifts and changes outside of their control. I'm not sure how that works out, but that appears to be the current state of things.

Other users of Open Source Software or other products may pay for product support and upgrades. While users are welcome to alter code, they are also welcome to simply use code and then pay for others to provide updates and support.

My question:Is Open Source bound to copyright laws?

Answer: For the most part, YES. If the software or product has a licensing agreement that includes creation or distribution restrictions, users must comply or they violate the copyright.

Of course, it's not quite that simple. "Software, unless it has been placed into the public domain, is covered under copyright law. As such, there are restrictions on what you can do with it, unless the copyright holder gives you additional permissions. These rights are given (or sadly, more often taken) through a license between you and the copyright holder." For more information, read the entire article.

My question: Are there standards for Open Source products?

Answer: At present, no. (Which, with reading this entry really should come as no surprise.) On of the main goals of the Open Source Initiative (OSI) is to create universal and international standards for what qualifies as Open Source. While the OSI, have created their own standards and coferences on the topic of Open Source abound, there is no final and settled answer on what does and doesn't qualify.

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