Q2:06 Newsletter
The New Home of OSS |
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What is Open Source Software and why is Oregon becoming its Mecca? These are great questions to discuss, let’s start at the beginning.
What is Open Source Software?Open Source Software (OSS) is the way of the future! This statement has been echoed over the last 20+ years, and each year it becomes more realistic. But still, what is OSS? OSS can be defined by these important features:
• Open = (Typically) Free. OSS is usually free software. Not always the case, but often you do purchase either support, documentation, and yes, sometimes even the source (think back to the early BSD days).
• Access the Source Code. Think of the source code as the blueprints to a building or structure, like the Pyramids. Once you have access to those blueprints, you have an established foundation to the architecture.
• Modify the Source Code. Using the Pyramids example, think of how the current pyramids could be improved with technological advancements. How would the Egyptians fair with central air conditioning or a bidet? The possibilities are endless. OSS allows users to modify code in a similar fashion.
• Redistribute the Source Code. OSS empowers the user to redistribute modifications as derivative works.
Open Source Licenses
The
Open Source Initiative has published an
Open Source Definition outlining what the distribution terms must include for a project to be called “open source.” However, there are many types of open source licenses which each have different distribution terms. In general, all licenses of OSS fall into one of three categories. The most popular license of each category is summarized below.
| License |
Description |
Example Software |
Summary |
GNU General Public License (GPL) |
Most popular and most common free software license. Intended for software programs. |
MySQL (also has a commercial license) |
• Derivative works must also be licensed under the GPL
• All derivative works must include the source code or provide access to it.
Software which links to GPL software must be licensed under the GPL |
GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) |
Business-friendly version of GPL. Intended for software libraries. |
Linux |
• Derivative works must also be licensed under the LGPL
• All derivative works must include the source code or provide access to it
Software which links to LGPL software does not have to be licensed under the LGPL |
BSD License |
Most business-friendly open source license. |
FireFox, Apache |
• Compatible with proprietary software licenses
• Derivative works must include an acknowledgment of the original source |
Possible Open Source SolutionsIf you’ve heard of Microsoft’s .NET initiative, you might notice it shares a common goal with Java. A developer should be able to write and compile the code only once, and then be able to run it on any platform. The Mono Project allows exactly that:
Mono provides the necessary software to develop and run .NET client and server applications on Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X, Windows, and Unix.
--www.mono-project.com
A possible configuration would be an e-commerce site created using ASP.NET technology. The web site would be hosted on a Linux server running Apache, not Microsoft’s IIS. The database backend could be provided by MySQL instead of Microsoft SQL Server. The advantage is being able to develop in one environment and create applications that can be hosted wherever the client decides.
Microsoft .NET technologies increase productivity and shorten the development cycle allowing more time to focus on business requirements and building the “right” product. With help from the Mono Project, using Microsoft .NET technologies also means you’ll be mitigating the risk of having a project switch from using one platform to another during the development cycle.
OSS and Oregon: The Future Is NearTalk has been made over the last year about Portland/Oregon becoming the Mecca of Open Source. After all, Linus Torvalds (creator of Linux) lives just outside of Portland, as do many other Linux hackers and Perl gurus. The city of Beaverton has also invested $1.1 million of public money towards the
Open Technology Business Center, an incubator for open source projects and businesses. The
Open Source Convention (OSCON), the largest gathering of open source users, will be held in Portland later this summer. In Corvallis, Oregon State University's
Open Source Lab is educating a new generation of open source developers.
Whether Oregon will become the central home to open source will be debated, nevertheless, a strong and powerful local community of open source experts will help shape its future.
So why should you care about open source at all?
OSS has developed an established reputation and it is here to stay. The open source buzz is still around, and is only getting stronger with even more projects being developed and released using an open source model. You can try it out with a smaller project and take advantage of its benefits and support networks. By doing this, you just may be the next Oregonian to kick off a hugely successful open source solution.