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Open
source: Myths and realities
The
proponents of open source utter Linux in the same breath.
MOHAN BABU says that Linux might be a poster child
for the open source movement, but it is time we looked beyond
it to where the real prowess of open source lies
The
open source wave sweeping through the technology sector has
been more in the news than any other area or trends in technology
in the recent past. Software and applications ranging from
operating-systems, databases, application servers, Web servers,
and office productivity tools have all begun to enter the
open source domain; in the process, this embracing of open
source movement is shaking up traditional business models
of selling, upgrading and supporting software systems. While
it may still be a bit early to prophesise where the trend
will eventually lead us to, the open source model of innovation
is already spawning newer business ideas.
Though
open source movement, and the development of software under
this paradigm, has been there for a while, a number of myths
persist. Some of the most common ones include:
Open
Source IS Linux
I
find it amusing to see proponents of open source uttering
Linux in the same breath as open source. Though Linux is definitely
a poster-child for the open source movement, it is time we
move past discussion on just the ‘skin’ (GUI) to where the
real prowess of open source lies: Business computing, applications,
architectures, servers and the like.
Businesses
have begun to embrace the open source movement in a big way
but proponents still continue to drum up just the same old
case studies like the city of Munich or Chinese government
going in for Linux! It is perhaps time to look at the forest
for the trees, to see that open source movement is much bigger
than just an adoption of Linux.
Open
source is about Microsoft/Oracle or IBM bashing
This
myth follows from the previous one that open source movement
was all about Linux vs Microsoft. Yes, large software companies
including Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, et al, built their business
models around developing and licensing software, operating
systems, etc, but that is history. Nothing new here. The primary
focus of open source is not to eat the lunch of software companies—though
in some cases, software vendors will probably sit down to
revisit their core revenue generation strategies due to the
shift in the operating paradigm.
Open
source is waiting for a buy-in from the corporate world
This
myth goes back to the days of skunkworks whereby individual
programmers afraid to flaunt their affiliation with the open
source movement, would be content to working on such projects
on the sly. Most large software and service organisations
have graduated past that mindset; even so, many of them are
going to be a bit wary of making a song-and-dance of their
endorsement of open source movement for obvious reasons. (Many
have deep partnerships and alliances with some of the largest
software vendors in the world. Why rock the boat when you
can have a cake, and it too seems to be the mindset.) This
is not to say that people will not be tacitly encouraged to
be a part of different skunkworks and open source projects.
Most
large software and solutions companies are already ‘sold’
on the idea of open source. ‘Big guys’ of software are already
talking of ways to eat their own cooking. IBM, for instance,
is pushing to get Sun to open up Java. In a letter sent in
early February, Rod Smith, vice president of emerging technology
at IBM, was quoted saying that IBM was willing to work with
Sun on an “independent project to open source Java.” Smith
wrote: “IBM is ready to provide technical resources and code
for the open source Java implementation while Sun provides
the open source community with Sun materials, including Java
specifications, tests and code.” Interestingly, even other
non-IT companies are embracing the open source wave in order
to shave costs off their operations.
Even
back in India, things are hotting up on the open source front.
Business and government leaders have been keenly observing
this trend. Case in point: President
Abdul
Kalam has been advocating embracing open source in India for
a while. He was quoted saying: “Further spread of IT, which
is influencing the daily life of individuals, would have a
devastating effect on the lives of society due to any small
shift in the business practice involving these proprietary
solutions. It is precisely for these reasons open source software
needs to be built, which would be cost-effective for the entire
society. In India, open source code software will have to
come and stay in a big way for the benefit of our billion
people.”
The
bottomline is very clear—corporations are looking past the
‘bells and whistles’ of Linux vs Microsoft pitch. Now the
real battle is moving from just the desktop/GUI towards capturing
the corporate-IT infrastructure. This is the most significant,
and lucrative part of the computing puzzle and open sourcing
of this space is going to be watched closely by IT companies
and users of technology, which is almost everybody.
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