Open Source Computing

(Indian Scenario)

Vibhor Kr. Sharma

MCA Meerut Institute of Engineering & Technology Meerut, India vibhor_kaushik@india.com||+919634176761 Abstract- Open Source Software (OSS) is software whose source code is openly published, which is usually available at no charge, and which is often developed by voluntary efforts. This paper examines how the OSS movement could impact the Indian Market Scenario towards the worldwide market in software infrastructure and software applications. Open Source Software is that which is open to modification by the user, as opposed to closed source, where one gets only an executable file and cannot modify it in any way. Why Would One Want to Modify the Code of a Program? It could be for testing ones programming skills, for enhancing the functionality of the software, just for the sheer fun of it or- which is most often the case- to get involved in the community effort. Open Source programs are usually ongoing projects; unlike a company coming out with a finished product, in the open source world, people collaborate and share. The entire computing experience is like one group effort. The Indian PC Landscape Officially, the percentage of Indians paying money for the software they use is about 25 per cent (Source: The Hindu). For Indians it is normal to pay for the PC hardware and expect it to come with all required software. While many argue that the price of licensed software is the main reason for piracy in India, this excuse cannot be used as a fig leaf by any self-respecting Indian. There are two ways to redeem ourselves: either pay for the software on the PC- and this could total up to almost the cost of the hardware- or turn to Open Source Software. Additionally, besides reducing the total cost of the PC , OSS also allows customisation to suit the needs of every linguistic group in every state of India. Altering the user interface to the local language will greatly increase acceptance of the PC. What is OSS? OSS literally means software whose source is open. Stretching this definition, to be termed OSS, the software should also not restrict the user from freely using it, modifying it and redistributing it. The most significant differences between OSS and proprietary software (PS) are immediately apparent. PS is usually distributed as a binary without the source code. So it is almost impossible to dissect the program to learn about its structure and logic, and make corrections or modifications if necessary. PS is normally sold with a lot of conditions that restrict the usage and distribution of the program. What OSS Isnt There is a general opinion that all OSS is also free of cost. That is not the case. Proponents of OSS do not restrict the sale of the OSS. People are free to package and sell OSS at a price they consider fit. But given the fact that the OSS is freely available to next Person as well, it is easy to conclude that it would not be possible for an arbitrarily high price to sustain. If the price is too high, other vendors will enter the market and sell the same product cheaper. Thus market forces will ensure that only a fair price is charged.

A Look at Both Types of Software y Longevity OSS, since it allows modification by all, can survive in its current form for a long time. Users need not worry about the lack of vendor support or feel compelled to upgrade. PS is supported and maintained only by the vendor, so the life of a software is linked to that of its vendor. A user would be left in the lurch if the vendor were to close down in near future. Quality Peer review, an excellent mechanism for identifying and resolving shortcomings in a product, can be implemented in OSS since anyone can see the code. The greater the number of people scrutinising the code, the greater are the chances of bugs being discovered. In contrast, PS code is usually offered for review only to selected group, so peer-review is not rigorous. The resulting code therefore is not as bug free as OSS. For example, experts have found that Linux has fewer bugs than Windows. Portability While the PC is the dominant computing platform, other computing devices are becoming popular. It is easy for an OSS to be ported to other platforms, since contributors with the relevant expertise can make necessary modifications. As PS vendors expertise is limited to the platform it is currently serving; porting to other platforms would be influenced by many factors such as profitability. Compatibility The contributory nature of OSS requires that the standards and specifications be open so that additions and/or modifications can be easily made. Business sense dictates that product differentiation is good strategy leading to incompatible products from different PS vendors. A user planning to switch between different PS vendors needs to consider the cost of converting existing data from the older format to a newer one. This forces users to ignore better software and acts as an artificial barrier to competition. Impact of Negative Business Practises OSS products can be supported by any person with required expertise; this can be from any service provider. PS can be supported only by a single entity. This allows the vendor to indulge in practices that could harm the user in the long termlike offering a PS for free to drive out competition, and later in increasing service prices.

Response Time Only the PS vendor can modify the code in response to an attack or to add a feature; users have to wait till such an event. OSS is enriched by newer features contributed by many programmers. The decentralised nature of the OSS development allows for faster incremental changes to OSS. Users with specific needs can customise the software either personally or with the aid of any knowledgeable person.

The Forces behind the Open Source Movement Three entities are central to this movement; Richard Stallman, Linus Torwalds, and the Open Source Initiative. Richard Stallman is the original ideologue of the movement who started off to create an entire free OS-GNU. He also founded the Free Software Foundation. Linus Torwalds is the programmer who created the kernel- a central part of the OS-that completed Stallmans GNU. Open Source Initiative, formed by Eric Raymond and Bruce Perens after having disagreed with Stallmans strict interpretation of the free software, is responsible for having taken the movement to the masses, albeit by diluting the original ideology. The Future According to Stallman, fixing software should not be seen as different from fixing a water tap. Ordinary people should be able to do it with a little effort. The OSS movement has ensured that users will be more aware of the pitfalls of using PS, whether free or not. With OSS, ordinary people can collaborate and share software with others without feeling guilty or being labelled a pirate or being paranoid about being penalised. Using OSS will ensure that the general awareness among users will increase, since they will be able to identify and debug code without waiting to be spoon-fed by a vendor. Concluding Remarks For a country like India, where on the one hand many are turning to PCs for the first time, and on the other hand many programmers are raking in a lot of foreign exchange, the decision to either way can be difficult. Since most programmers are working on PS, the decision to go with OSS will impact their long-term prospects. Delaying the acceptance of OSS by continuing to rely on PS (pirated or otherwise) will negatively impact our ability to remain independent of the whims of a vendor. The OSS movement views software as a mundane item like a car: in real life, users can freely share information about the car, its specifications etc. In much the same vein, the role of the software is relegated as an accessory to hardware. Users pay for the hardware and get the required software for free. Any additional tweaking or troubleshooting should

be carried out by the user, or by an expert who is paid by the user. References: www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html