Open Source Weblog

The open source software development model has also been translated to hardware, with new server and processor designs being developed through the collaboration model that that has proven effective with software.

The impact of the open source model is not just technological, however: it is also sociological. The open source model is changing the relationship between the purchaser and supplier, giving businesses the opportunity to not simply license software but take part in its development.

By challenging the established proprietary software development model, open source has also prompted its fair share of controversy, leading to legal challenges and concerns about intellectual property and patent ownership.

The open source model has also prompted new laws around the world, designed to encourage its use and the involvement of government agencies in software development and innovation, while the open source model has also begun to spread to other industries, such as pharmaceutical research and development.

This blog will attempt to keep track of, and comment on, developments related not only to open source software projects and vendors, but issues that directly impact the growth of open source, such as the ongoing software patent discussion, Microsoft antitrust settlements, and ongoing legal concerns.

While it is my personal opinion that the open source model has the potential to revolutionize the IT industry that does not mean that I believe that everything to do with the traditional commercial licensing model is inherently bad.

Too often the reporting of open source software and the open source model can become clouded in religious fervor, and it is important to note that this blog will seek to continue CBR's traditional values of independence and objectivity.

The fact that I am writing an open source blog rather than a proprietary software blog does not indicate favoritism for one model over the other, but rather recognizes the fact that the open source model is different, and its implications for enterprise computing are perhaps worthy of special attention if CIOs and IT directors are to plan properly for the adoption of open source software, and maybe open source development methodologies.

CBR editor Jason Stamper recently noted how it takes time to learn how and what to blog and I'm sure it will take some time before this one finds its own voice. There will hopefully be scope for humor and anecdotes alongside the comment and analysis.

Now to find something to blog about…

Matthew Aslett