Open source software, or OSS, can be something a mystery. A bigger question still is why PLU would be interested in OSS. This page will help answer some basic questions concerning OSS@PLU.
The big question. Open source refers to the licensing and distribution of software. Taking the term apart, 'source' refers to the 'source' code that a developer writes to create a program. All programs have source-code, but this code is usually turned into an executable that computers can run and is difficult for people to modify. Most programs do not need their source-code to run, nor do the producers of most software want people looking at or making changes to their program's source code. And the term 'open' refers to the idea of openly sharing. Thus, an open source piece of software is one where the source code is openly shared. While most open source software is free it is still different than freeware, or software that is simply free. The word "open" refers to the freedom to change the software, not neccessarily the freedom from paying for it.
This disclosure of source-code comes in many legal forms or licenses. Most open source licenses read something like "this program is free to use, modify, and redistribute". Of course, there are lots of subtleties, finer restrictions, and variations on this idea and so there are many open source licenses to choose from. Sakai, for instance, is released under the Educational Commons Licenses or ECL. The GNU/Linux operating system is released under the GNU Public License or GPL. Firefox and Thunderbird are under the Mozilla Public License.
Here is a non-inclusive list of popular open source licenses.
Open source, though a technical term relating to licensing is becoming more a paradigm under which to develop software. There are three main reasons software projects are open sourced. First, it allows for a large developer base. Such is with Sakai. The Sakai Foundation employs only four people, but there are over 50 developers and a QA team involved in its production. Secondly is a quality argument. That is, that an open source program will necessarily tend toward a better product because more people are able to pick apart its insides. As is often noted with Microsoft Internet Explorer, countless bugs and security flaws are found quickly in new versions. These holes are patched only under the dictation of Microsoft, whereas the open source competitor Mozilla Firefox has an expedient pipeline for fixing bugs because more people can find them more easily. Many believe this will push open systems to a more secure state. The last major argument for open source is a socio-political one. Groups and institutions similar to PLU, are in high need of useful tools but are many times strapped for cash. So when BlackBoard asks for very large amounts of money to upgrade our online course-ware system an open source solution is often more attractive. In turn these institutions have a pre-existing affinity to the project and commit resources to its development.
Open source software, as with the GNU/Linux operating system, was first viewed as a hobby niche for basement-dwelling computer-loving hobbyists. Of course, it has grown from that stage. Many times non-profit software foundations like Mozilla, Apache, or the Sakai Foundation will facilitate the development of open source software. Smaller projects can be headed up by a single person such as with pGina. Sometimes it is a conglomeration of people from a diverse set of backgrounds such as with Sakai. Or sometimes the development is incorporated such as with computing mega-giants Sun Microsystems who have lead projects like openSolaris and NetGrid. GNU/Linux has a number of flavors, some like Slackware are packaged and supported by a very small number of people, others like Red-Hat and SuSe are backed by large corporations centered around the open source product. Such companies often offer support and installation services for their otherwise free products. A company may also release a product under an open license to gain developers from outside the company. The underlying philosophy with OSS is that computer users, like the users of mechanical systems, should have the freedom to know how the system works, and modify it if they choose. This argument is a bit more ideological than economic, but it is pronounced by much of the open source community.
Check out the OSS@PLU inventory.
First off many open source projects are simple choices over their closed source counterparts. Like Mozilla Firefox, PLU simply found that Firefox offers more functionality than Internet Explorer. In this manner the choice is relatively arbitrary. The GNU/Linux and openVMS operating systems, for instance, are industry standards that nearly any institution of this size would be hard-pressed not to use. With Sakai the story is a little more subtle. Sakai is arguably a better product than closed source options like BlackBoard and WebCT. But Sakai offered a bit of a trade-off: PLU could pay for the needed upgrades to our BlackBoard system or run with Sakai which would call for another staff member to help administer and tailor it to PLU. With this was the option to tailor the system to PLU's needs--an option not allowed by closed source solutions. In general, open source software is often a simple alternative for PLU and other times the subtler aspects of a particular system make it more viable an option.
As PLU is committed to the greater academic community we find it important to lend our own resources to projects that have aided us in our own goals. In this manner we will be contributing, as many universities around the world do, to the Sakai project. Also, PLU has some specific projects that have been developed in-house over the years. There is great hope that these projects can benefit a greater community. And though this takes time and energy from PLU we believe that giving back to communities that help us is a responsibility we take on in accepting their help.
Check out the contacts page for people to talk to about open source software at PLU.