What and Why Open Source

Tony Stanco, Esq.DirectorThe Center of Open Source & Government http://www.egovos.orgTony@egovos.org

Associate DirectorCyberspace Security Policy & Research InstituteThe George Washington UniversityStanco@gwu.edu202-994-5513http://www.cspri.seas.gwu.edu

Sponsors/Presenters

Thank you to IBM, Oracle, HP, Red Hat, DevIS, Novell and all the others for sponsoring the conference Big thanks to all the

speakers for taking time out of very busy schedules to join us

Open Source Reference Book 2004

The Center of Open Source & Government has compiled the Open Source Reference Book 2004

About 1000 Open Source projects and companies in government, universities or industryWill be mailed to registered attendees on CD-RomPaper samples in the Exhibit Hall

Open Source

Open Source has arrived At conference will hear

what leaders in foreign, Federal and state governments are already doing with Open Source And what Open Source

solutions vendors and integrators have available for government

What is Open Source ?

Software that can be used, copied and distributed with or without a fee Where users can freely

modify the source code, which is included with the distribution

What is Open Source ?

If using Internet already using Open Source: Linux (operating system)

Forecast to garner 45% of new servers by 2007

Apache (web server) Bind (provides domain

name services for Internet) Sendmail (transmits email

over Internet)

Why Open Source Software?

OSS can have lower licensing costs

Taiwan, India, Europe, Japan, China reporting expected savings either directly or from increased competitive landscape

Ability to audit code for “back-doors,” “spyware” or security holes Promotes architectural diversity

Lowering risks of monoculture and cyberattacks

Promotes innovation by unaffiliated developers experimenting with code Reduces dependence on single

software producer

Challenges for Open Source Software?

Business models Licensing/Intellectual

Property issues unresolved

Conference

Will hear from participants throughout conference on benefits and challenges with Open Source

OSS Policy?

Should Government mandate Open Source?

Probably not a good ideaAmounts to failed Industrial Policy

Level the playing field Open Standards, Open data formatsCorrect any market failure

Then let the Market decide Best value for taxpayer money

Based on reliability, security, interoperability, performance, ease-of-use, TCO and support

OSS Policy?

Open Source shows it can compete without government policy interference Market competition makes

everyone better, faster, cheaperThis is better than government locking into Open Source or Proprietary based on arbitrary mandates

Conference

Please enjoy the rest of this timely and informative conference as we discuss Open Source

What and Why Open Source

Tony Stanco, Esq.DirectorThe Center of Open Source & Government http://www.egovos.orgTony@egovos.org

Associate DirectorCyberspace Security Policy & Research InstituteThe George Washington UniversityStanco@gwu.edu202-994-5513http://www.cspri.seas.gwu.edu