I did not know that our knowledge can be divided to different cognition levels and types, building knowledge is a process, and our mind can be engaged in social networking environments by doing social tasks and about knowledge there is something called Epistemological Belief before learning the lectures on week 3. In this lecture, I found that a topic about “open source” is very interesting which is also related my job now. So I did surfing on the Internet to do some related research to know further, also tried to thinking and analyzing this topic according my own experience.
On Wikipedia, I found some descriptions for open source development. Open Source Development is the production or development process of software whose source code is publicly available. The source code can be available and visible to anyone want to study, change, and improve it. On the contrary, “closed” means the software vendors keep the source code secrets to public, only their own developers can read, modify, and change the source code. In the past, the open source development method was not so structured. There were no clear tools, phrases for development. The situation becomes better since the found of open source community. There are many popular open source software products nowadays, such as Linux, Apache, PHP, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chromium, and Android, etc.
There was concept of free sharing of technological information very long ago, even before computers came out. In the early years of automobile development, a association which grew out of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, was found to make member companies free shared patents openly between all the manufacturers. When internet came out and became more and more popular, the sharing of source code on the internet began. And now, the term of “open source” is widely known, and this development method praise highly in IT area.
I am writing programs in my company now. It is really convenient to have “open source”. Sometimes you just need using open source and do some modification, customization, the applications and programs can be produced quickly, it is a very efficient way; Sometimes you really meet bottle neck, cannot fix the bugs or problems, just post the source code on the internet forums, or discuss on development community, you can find the solution very quickly, after all, this is pooling the wisdom of the masses; Sometimes the technology is very new to you, you really don’t know how to start, just find tutorials, sample code, experience sharing on internet, you can follow step by step easily, etc. It is really a good thing to have “open source” in the world.
I did some research to comparing Apple IPhone and Google Android phone last semester, and analyzed that Google Android phone would beat Apple IPhone in future because of its open source platform. “It’s hitting Apple where it hurts by giving away ‘App Inventor’ – an application just about anyone can use to easily make applications for Android.” (Daniel Roth, How Android Will Beat iPhone: Google Gives Away App Inventor). Many companies built innovative new business model around open source, by deriving their revenues from other method such as support and training services. In “Android business model threatens Apple’s strength in smartphone market” we can find that open source business model can win in the market. Also, "There is a trend towards governments around the world encouraging the use of free or Open Source software (so called 'FOSS policies')." (Open Source)
But there is still one thing confusing me, is that open source for developing everything? Is there anything better to be developed closed?
I think it depends on industry, like for finance applications, they concerns more on the security and proprietary. But for some common applications, it is the trend to adopt more open source alternatives
回复删除I also use open source framework too.Although the quality of open source stuff might not as good as those product from big companies but I'm still quite believe in open source development.The biggest advantage of open source development is that everyone can contribute their knowledge and everyone is the QA!!This kind of collaboration brings great value to the whole IT industry.
回复删除I think Open source is a good choice when the product or services are fast changes, involves too many customer requirements and the company want to cut the development costs. However, too much open source would make the products be open to public. The company eventually loss the specific control of the products and they will be easily "copied" in other companies. So I think that open source should be carefully implemented with suitable market strategy.
回复删除Yes, it is ture for the point that companies cannot control there own products if too many open sources. But how about if they only using the core technology but add up some customized unique functions and features to the existing open sources, then release as their new products? Will this way be better?
删除I think open source development is suitable for small company. As small company may not have much resources to spend on their development, open source provides an opportunity. By the way, more creative design may be constructed as there are more material for them to see.
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