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Running head: Free and Open Source Software Innovations

Free and Open Source Software Innovations Michael Ohl Western Governors University

Running head: Free and Open Source Software Innovations A !his article is "ased on showing the different types of open source software and the perspectives of those creating or owning the software as well as the econo#ical aspects of open source software$ !hrough this research paper the data shows how all the different perspectives of all involved in the creation of open source software co#e together% their differences in standpoints as well as the differences in the #odels of co##ercially "ac& open source software and co##unity driven open source software$ !here are two "asic types of open source software$ !he first type "eing co##unity open source which is 'ust as it sounds% software created "y a co##unity of individuals wor&ing together to create a software product that is generally free of cost or very lowly priced$ !he second type is co##ercial open source software which has a #a'or corporation "ac&ing it(s develop#ent$ !he type of open source software generally has a strict license sche#e and the co#pany ulti#ately decides what code is used fro# all the #a'or contri"utors$ )o##ercial open source software also tends to have a higher price tag attached to it than co##unity open source software$ Infor#ation technology providers are in the "usiness of providing solutions% so#ething that solves a pro"le# that a custo#er is having with technology$ !here are three parts of a solution that is #ade up of hardware% software and services$ With open source software the provider can save #oney on software licensing and therefore pass these savings on to the end user$ Riehle found that there is a de#and curve with selling of solutions stating that the lower the price of the software the #ore users tend to purchase the solution$ !hese points show the syste# integrator% a large solutions provider% that the less they spend on software itself the #ore profit can "e achieved$ !he prices with syste#s integrators tend to "e fluid "ased on the custo#er% certain custo#ers pay a different a#ount "ased on needs$ !he a#ount the

Running head: Free and Open Source Software Innovations syste# integrator saves on software costs with open source software allows the# to reach #ore

custo#ers potential spending price "efore hitting +ero profit for their solution$ ,ecause of this a syste# integrator prefers the co##unity open source pro'ect "ecause they save even greater on software costs and the looser licensing ter#s allowing the# to #odify the code for easier redistri"ution for a profit$ !he ne-t standpoint would "e that of a software vendor% a co#pany that produces software used "y the syste# integrators as well as the general pu"lic$ !his view is shown "y co#paring and contrasting with proprietary software$ !he #ain principle that stays the sa#e in "oth open source and proprietary is the price per unit of software sold decreases as #ore units "eco#e sold$ .owever a &ey difference is the price the custo#er pays with proprietary software staying the sa#e or shifting very little where as the savings with open source can "e easily passed to the custo#er with a higher price for the first initial units and the #ore units sold the lower the price "eco#es$ !he large software vendor generally sets a cost that #a&es the software co#petitive throughout it(s entire lifespan of sale only selling the software itself$ / co##unity "ased software co#pany tends to #a&e #oney different giving the software away for little to no cost at all then selling service plans to #aintain the software% provide technical support and custo#i+e it$ !he last perspective e-a#ined "eco#es that of the e#ployees of these co#panies$ !he e#ployee in and open source environ#ent is on a less sta"le standpoint% they tend to have less co#pany &nowledge #a&ing the# easily replacea"le$ .owever this "eco#es offset with the "enefit of all &nowledge gained "eing easily transported into another open source pro'ect #a&ing the# #ore e#ploya"le$ 0ow there are #ultiple levels of open source developers% the highest "eing &nown as a co##itter% or so#eone who can directly post source code without any approval of any sort needed$ !o an e#ployee "eing at the co##itter status this generally #eans a "etter chance of a higher pay chec& so it "enefits an e#ployee to spend #ore ti#e in an open source pro'ect to get to the co##itter level$

Running head: Free and Open Source Software Innovations ,eco#ing a co##itter varies on the type of software co#pany "eing e#ployed$ !hose who start a pro'ect or co#pany are always co##itters as they are the driving force "ehind the pro'ect% while in a co##unity driven pro'ect it tends to "e a #erit "ased syste#$ / co##ercially driven open source pro'ect tends to hire co##itters with large a##onuts of e-perience and "igger na#es fro# past

pro'ects% for e-a#ple a person who was a co##itter for a pro'ect li&e send#ail or apache is #ore li&ely to get a co##itter position than so#eone with e-perience in a s#aller less &nown na#e pro'ect 2Riehle% 3345$

B 6#ployees face greater challenges in the 'o" #ar&et with open source pro'ects$ !he &nowledge they gain tends toward #ore of the generic as there is less &nowledge "ased specifically to one co#pany$ )onversely this can "e a #a'or "enefit to the e#ployee at the sa#e ti#e as the s&ills and infor#ation they &now can "e easily adapted to another pro'ect #a&ing the# #ore e#ploya"le at the sa#e ti#e as easily replacea"le 2Riehle% 334% p$ 75$

Running head: Free and Open Source Software Innovations

C References

Riehle% 9$ 2 3345$ !he econo#ic #otivation of open source software: sta&eholder perspectives$ Computer, 40215% Retrieved fro# http:::ieee-plore$ieee$org:-pl:freea"s;all$'sp< arnu#"er=1173 1> doi: 13$113?:M)$ 334$114

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