EDUCAUSE | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses; Articles, Papers, and Reports; Open Systems; and OSS

The Importance of Open Access, Open Source, and Open Standards for Libraries

drupal — Wed, 25 May 2005 11:18:44 -0500

The open access, open source software, and open standards concepts have been garnering increased attention in the field of librarianship and elsewhere. These concepts and their benefits and importance to libraries are examined. Benefits include lower costs, greater accessibility, and better prospects for long-term preservation of scholarly works.

Free Software and Open Source: The Freedom Debate and its Consequences

drupal — Wed, 18 May 2005 15:26:49 -0500

Recently the University of Göteborg held an online course in the theory and philosophy of free software and open source. During this course a lively discussion on terminology took place, in particular the concept of freedom was discussed. Without arriving at particular conclusions the posts included views in part on the lack of user awareness on what was property within the computer, on the difference between free, gratis, and libre in different languages and cultures and the need for both a common terminology and infrastructure. This paper is not an attempt to resolve these issues but to bring these questions to the attention of a wider audience in the hope that the discussion will continue.

To most outsiders the ethics of software is not something usually considered. To most proficient computer users with a passing interest in this question the ethics of software is recognised as one of the fundamental questions in the digital rights area. To most of the latter, terms such as free software, open source, and their derivatives (FLOSS, FOSS, Software Freedom) are interchangeable. Choosing one over the other is a matter of taste rather than politics. However, to most insiders the question is not one of taste. There is a fundamental difference between the two areas even if they share a similar root. Free software is not the same as open source. The two groups differ in their fundamental philosophical approach to software and its importance to society as a whole. This paper examines the two groups' differing philosophies and explores how their actions have affected software development, access to fundamental software infrastructure, and the development of the concept of freedom.

Risk Perception and Trusted Computer Systems: Is Open Source Software Really More Secure than Proprietary Software?

drupal — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 10:57:00 -0500

While Open Source software is routinely described as "more secure" than commercial off the shelf software, all available evidence suggests that there is little difference in the level of trust that should be accorded either type of system. The paper also relies on an analysis using risk perception theory to explain why Open Source is widely believed to be "more secure" than other types of software.

Open Source and Standards

drupal — Fri, 10 Sep 2004 15:04:41 -0500

This paper is from the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE). This paper discusses possible future outcomes of open standards.