Open-Source Definition, benefits and Problems faced and MICROSOFT

Open-Source Definition, benefits and Problems faced and MICROSOFT
http://www.geocities.com/linuxlvr/oss.pdf��0�
bye@linuxmail.org

Acknowledgement
To Alaa ,
who encourage me to write this article.
To Hassan Abdeen ,
who I don’t know him but I really respect him.

Open Source
Sharing the source code to all who need it within some licenses. (me)

1 The Open-Source Definition

• Free redistribution
• Source code
• Derived works
• Integrity of the author’s source code
• No discrimination against persons or groups
• No discrimination against fields of endeavor
• Distribution of license
• License must not be specific to a product
• License must not contaminate other software
<>The Open Source Definition introduced by the Open Source Initiative (www.opensource.org)

Free redistribution: The user must be free to sell or give away the software. Source code: The program must include source code.

Derived works: The license must allow distribution of modifications and derived works.

Integrity of the author’s source code: The license may restrict source distribution only if it allows patch files to modify the program at build time.

No discrimination: The license may not restrict use of the software based on any persons, groups or fields of endeavor.

Distribution of license: The license must be automatic.

License must not be specific to a product: The license must not restrict rights to a specific product. License must not

contaminate other software: The license must not place restrictions on other software distributed with the licensed software.

(Source: www.opensource.org)

2 Defending Open Source Software principles against indictment

Main indictments

1-OSS software is developed by students and lacked experience people

This point is so far from the truth as most of OSS are made by highly experienced people who wants to offer their effort for people ex. Linux is one of the greatest OSS - if it is not the great (it' not Alaa) - is made by thousands of highly experienced and most of them has a great background in his branch and they also have a high skills in programming concept, software design concept and software engineering concept
2- When the leading developers leave the project, the project dies. This point is wrong in two main ways
a- In community concept there is a structure for the design if one of the leading developers leave his task will be rescheduling to other qualified people
b-The persons who join communities no one force them to join communities they have certain goal they want to achieve it they really want to help people. Rarely one of them leaves the community if he joins the community with strong belief
3-There is no support.
These words says from one didn't search for support b/c the support of OSS is already exist at any time from any location there is a specified boards in almost every OSS that discuss the problems , solutions , bugs , fixes , support and enhancement
4-OSS is complicated in use
Some old versions OSS may be complicated in GUI but recently most of OSS developers have been interested in making their program friendly user interface
see open office 2.0 ,mandrake 10.1 ,suse personal 9.1 and
even programming tools like MYSQL (remember it has two licenses one GNU the other is commercial)

3 open source benefits

1- Increase knowledge base
Open source software development allows programmers to cooperate freely their programs and its source code with other programmers , all these and those enhance their conceptual programming 2-Increase software quality
open source software increases the ratio of software quality b/c the programmer cant let a hole in the program b/c he know that there are people will inspect the code carefully 3- More customizable solution for who need
Most of OSS made to be general in their branch rather than to be specific to certain problem with some simple customization it can fit your needs as you go to tailor to adjust your father clothes to fit you!!!(there is no na6oosh here) and even if they made it to certain problem like your problem you can customize the code according to the license b/c the application is OSS 4- Large number of programmers benefit It’s a good thing that all these
programmers will use this software -to feel his effort - and will spread the software to his friend but his young brother will be forced to use this software even he didn't know computer even English of course for testing purpose ;)
5- No cost b/c it's free. It’s so important point but it's obvious.

4 Problems faced by OSS

• Lack of Advertising
• Piracy
• Pressure Groups opposing OSS or Free Software
• FUD - 'Fear, uncertainty and doubt'
Source of problems
http://www.asiaosc.org/enwiki/page/Problems_faced_by_OSS.html��0�

Microsoft LIES

At end we must mention some Microsoft lies

LIE 1

What Motivates People to Create Open Source Software?
• Proprietary Software Sales
• Service Contracts
• Hardware Sales
(microsoft.com)
Why they didn't mention honor and unselfishness b/c these words doesn't exist in their dictionary

LIE 2

HouseValues, Inc. Move to Windows 2000 Server from Linux Boosts Performance and Agility, Reduces Operations Costs by 50%, Saves U.S. $660,000 per Year

Because there are more and better development tools available for Windows than for Linux—the difference is like night and day—we can bring new and more powerful applications to our customers more quickly and easily, and support a more robust, feature-rich Web-based business environment,” says Nelson
(microsoft.com)
More and better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (no na6oosh) they may means the buggy dot net environment

LIE 3

Microsoft remains adamant that commercial reasons prevent it from simply putting the source code - its "crown jewels" - in the public domain.
"crown jewels" !!!!!!!!!!!!!! They didn’t mean their spaghetti code they mean any thing else
(cnet.com)

Appendix a

OSS licenses comparisons
Source: Gartner Research