Open Source Software
Hip not Hype
Trends to watch in 2007
GNUnify '07
Pune
January 28th, 2007
Alolita Sharma
CEO, Technetra
Saratoga, CA
asharma@technetra.com
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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"OSS is Hype"
“Open Source is just a passing fad – its just hype."
"Open source software is no more innovative
than proprietary software"
"We should be more excited about the solutions
NOT the methods by which these solutions are created."
This is FUD.
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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"OSS is Hype"
If software were just a physical item, “manufacturing style”
would not influence the consumer's choice.
However, software is not a “car or tractor off an assembly line”.
It is a complex organism ranging from being a component
to a large set of business processes.
So the side­effects of “manufacturing­style” do matter.
It affects software management, lock­in, sustainability, self­sufficiency
and escrow – which in turn have a long term impact on ROI
for the enterprise.
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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Is Open Source hype?
Open source methods can even affect the consumer's ROI.
Think Digital Rights Management (DRM).
DRM is pitched to get rid of piracy. But it also gets rid of your
ability to reuse music or movies you've purchased and want to play
in your own way – whether its your new mp3 player or your laptop.
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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Is Open Source hype?
You can only play your iTune on your iPod (legally).
The hardware, software and content are locked.
Is Open Source hype? Open source is the only key to this lock.
Open Source may be listed as an enemy of DRM since it threatens
the existence of the big entertainment companies as middle men
gouging artists and consumers. But open source helps protect
your right to fair use.
If you can see and change the code of the programs that enforce DRM,
you can bypass it and play your legally purchased content freely.
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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OSS is Hip
The best open source solutions are hip not hype.
To create the best product, open source methods
of sharing and collaboration produce an abundance of
innovation and really cool software.
Software development, testing and solution integration are
all greatly benefited by these scalable methods and latest
innovation in technologies.
Open Source is not just a passing fad. It is real.
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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Trends to watch
Here are some of my favorites
Virtualization in the Linux kernel (KVM)
•
Beryl 3D desktop window manager
•
Ruby on Rails (RoR) web application framework
•
Firefox web browser
•
Asterisk VoIP PBX
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SugarCRM customer relationship manager
•
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
•
Wikipedia
•
OpenJava
•
Edubuntu
•
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Let's look at Wikipedia
What is Wikipedia
•
Is an online encyclopedia which all of us can
•
use and build. It has almost 2 million articles in English.
It also has tens of thousands of articles in Indian languages.
Why is it cool
•
Studies show Wikipedia is as good as traditional
•
encyclopedias like Britannica.
It can be built quickly and updated in real­time.
•
It is in “your language”.
•
Its digital – it can be used anywhere, remixed in any
•
way you need.
There is nothing cooler than this for knowledge sharing.
•
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Let's look at Asterisk
What is Asterisk
•
It is the upcoming “rock­star” of telephony.
•
It is a free and open source telephone switch.
It is shaking the foundations of today's big­player,
over­regulated, voice telecommunications industry globally.
Why is it cool
•
Revolutionizing the way businesses and people communicate
•
with each other.
Eliminating the middle man ­ the bureaucratic, regulatory,
•
monopolistic telco regimes across the world which control
the way people can communicate.
Eliminating cost of long­distance service.
•
Integrates local phone service with long distance VoIP.
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Let's look at Ruby on Rails
What is Ruby on Rails (RoR)
•
It is a web application framework designed to provide
•
functionality with less code.
Why is it cool
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Creator David Heinemmer Hansen calls it 'opinionated software'.
•
Guiding principles: 'Don't repeat yourself' (DRY),
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'Convention over Configuration'
'More, Sooner, Better' application development
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Provides out­of­the­box code and data views for a basic website.
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Integrates AJAX and Javascript for user interface development.
•
Promotes agile web development
•
RoR is being used by Basecamp, Instiki
•
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Open Source is Hip
So what's common about all these projects?
•
Every one of them ­
•
Is innovative
•
Is democratizing
•
Has big customers
•
Has cool contributors
•
Is open source
•
Open source has bling
•
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Open Source is not hype. It is here to stay.
Copyright 2007 Technetra
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