Benefits of OSS

Open Source Software now has widespread support in many areas, especially in the provision of Internet services. It should be considered as a viable alternative for any organisation as it offers:

• low licensing costs
• flexibility
• fast pace of development
• widespread distribution
• scalability (licences and hardware).

Open Source Software is available for all areas of computing, but areas of interest for education include:

Local Internet services
This is one of the strongest areas for Open Source. There are a wide range of solutions for web, proxy and e-mail servers.

Network integration
Many Open Source projects have been developed to solve network integration problems. For example, using the Open Source solution Samba, it is possible to share files between Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple MacOS and Acorn RiscOS machines on the same network.

Productivity tools
There is a growing number of Open Source alternatives to Microsoft Office, including, most notably, OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org ).

Educational content
Educational content is increasingly being developed using the Open Source approach. Sometimes this means that it will run via a web browser, which makes it platform independent (in other words, not tied to a particular operating system). Edubuntu is a development specifically for the Education sector.

Thin client
The development of thin client solutions that involve all the applications being held on the server is an area with significant potential for Open Source Software. These provide a robust platform that can run on a range of hardware, including older machines. Using software such as that developed by the Linux Terminal Server Project, it is possible to have a manageable terminal solution at low cost.

Open Source Software is best used in mainstream application areas where there is both development interest and a strong user base. There is less choice of Open Source Software in more marginal areas such as control systems or computer-aided design (CAD).

What are the benefits of using Open Source Software?

There are several issues relating to the use of Open Source Software:

Quality
It is generally acknowledged that Open Source approaches often produce very good software. Quality is comparable with software developed in a more traditional way, but is potentially at a lower cost.

Cost of ownership
There are two main models for the support of Open Source Software. The first model is to sign up to a service contract - an important revenue stream for many distributors. The second model is to go for self-help using community contacts. This approach is comparable with potential approaches for all software and hardware. Both approaches have pros and cons, and a considered decision should be made. As with all ICT hardware and software, it is important to plan effectively for costs over the lifetime of the solution, no matter what the source.

Reseller independent
The distribution of Open Source Software is not controlled by a single reseller or manufacturer. This allows for flexibility. Open Source Software is normally available for download from the Internet, though it may involve very large files. Sometimes it is boxed for purchase.

Educational applications
Complete Open Source solutions, such as computers running Linux as their operating system, are more commonly found 'behind the scenes' than on the desktop. Recently, however, Linux has been emerging as an operating system for desktop deployment, and is being promoted by companies such as IBM and Sun Microsystems. There is a growing community who install and maintain Open Source desktop systems. However, many organisations will already be using Open Source Software without realising it. The Internet is the best source of advice on installing such systems.

There is an increasing number of 'Internet appliances' on the market that use Open Source Software (though some may include proprietary elements), such as the Netpilot from Equiinet.

Many major Internet service providers, including those focused on the education sector, use Open Source-based solutions for their server connectivity and for applications such as web and e-mail hosting.