Open source software (OSS) is now a household name in information technology (IT) parlance across the world. Different sectors of people see different aspects of it: software that costs no money, software that can be modified and freely distributed, and so on. A variety of advantages, ranging from better security to avoidance of vendor lock-in, are being credited to OSS. The GNU/Linux operating system and Apache Web server serve as exemplars of this movement. A number of nations, developing and developed, are considering policy level measures to use OSS, in preference to proprietary software, wherever possible. But, what exactly is OSS? Where does its strength come from? What does it hold for the future of information and communication technology (ICT)? How much of what is talked about is hype?
This book provides a good base for getting answers to these questions. Between the hype, the ’religious’ supporters, and the opponents, getting an unbiased voice to answer these questions is not easy, particularly since the OSS movement has gained large-scale visibility only recently. But the book makes an earnest attempt.
The preface of the book, titled “Introduction,” outlines its motivation and structure. The Foreword, by Raymond, an OSS guru, adds nothing more than marketing value to the book. Chapter 1 introduces the notion of source code, and explains the critical aspects needed for something to be OSS, and the licensing norms generally used for OSS. A history of OSS, and a few major open source software packages are briefly studied in chapter 2. The difference between the open source and free software movements is critical to those deeply involved, but confusing to the rest of the world. Chapter 3 explores such aspects of the OSS world, and the various institutions associated with OSS activities.
Chapters 4 to 9 undertake a systematic analysis of the OSS movement, adopting the customers, actors, transformers, world view, owners, environment (CATWOE) framework for software development. The framework is briefly introduced in chapter 4. The various components are taken up in the subsequent chapters: necessary and sufficient characteristics of OSS systems, the development process and tools used, the various stakeholders and their roles, geographic and temporal aspects, and economic issues (including business models). The strength of OSS in various categories of software, as well as the use of various programming languages for OSS development, are analyzed using an existing OSS base. These chapters are, by and large, quite thorough, and include anecdotes and quotes from various participants, adding a touch of spice.
Chapter 10 analyzes the various claims made for and against OSS. For example, how different is the OSS development methodology from the traditional development methodology? In almost all cases, the conclusion is that available research is inadequate for making inferences, and hence further investigation is needed. The chapter critically examines both sides of all arguments, and makes a sincere attempt to balance the extreme feelings about the subject.
The book scores high on readability, and is nontechnical in nature. Another positive factor in the book is the chapter summary (strangely called “Conclusion”) at the end of each chapter. The book is a recommended read for those seriously venturing into OSS.
