A key research group says open source needs to be organised if it
is to capitalise on corporate resistance to licence price hikes.
Eric Doyle reports
Free open source software could benefit UK companies but it needs a
"fairy godmother" to co-ordinate development and understanding of
the technology, according to a leading UK research group.
In their current state open source products, which include the
Linux operating system and a host of applications, are too
fragmented for widespread consideration by corporates, a report
from the National Computing Centre (NCC) argues.
It notes that interest in open source has been boosted by rising
licensing costs, such as Microsoft's recent restructuring, but it
concludes that the problems involved in finding, implementing and
maintaining alternative solutions carry too much risk. It
recommends that the open source community find a champion in the UK
to co-ordinate, publicise and advise businesses in the scope and
implementation of products.
Michael Gough, chief executive of the NCC, said, "The UK would
greatly benefit from the establishment of a stable alternative to
the use of proprietary software, both in terms of business
innovation and competitiveness, and in support of the UK software
industry."
Gough suggests that the NCC, an independent research organisation
with a membership spanning education, public sector and commercial
organisations, is ideally placed to form the hub of an open source
awareness body.
Andrew Hopkirk, head of research and development at the NCC, said,
"Open source offers a great opportunity for the UK but it needs a
fairy godmother outside the industry to help it to succeed.
"It needs guidance by an intermediary that can bring people
together and consolidate their requirements so that software
developers have something to respond to," Hopkirk added.
If IT development is to thrive again in the UK, open source could
be the catalyst, the NCC said. This has been recognised by
government initiatives in Europe, notably in Germany and France, to
promote the use of Linux and other software within businesses and
public sector departments. There is also direct support available
from the European Commission.
Although the public sector has recently struck several licensing
deals with Microsoft, and is basing e-government services on
Microsoft technologies, the Department of Trade & Industry
(DTI) recently backed the Openforum Europe user group to
investigate the business implications of open source software. This
is partly the springboard for the NCC study that has been funded by
the DTI.
Based on interviews with 30 IT professionals, Open Source, The UK
Opportunity sets out steps to encourage adoption of non-proprietary
software. Its research revealed that the fragmented uptake of
products is mainly caused by uncertainty about what open source
software is; worries about support and liability; and difficulties
in identifying products to suit particular situations.
Open source software is often seen as the Linux operating system
and its supporting raft of products but the movement predates Linux
by two decades.
The name describes the philosophy - that the source code is made
publicly available to anyone, which opens the door to
customisation. Proprietary software, such as Microsoft Windows, is
only available to a select few who hold the power over what
improvements or modifications can be made. Open source applications
are available to run on many of the proprietary operating systems
such as Windows and Unix.
If the NCC gets the go-ahead to establish itself as a hub for the
UK open source movement, it will gain support from existing open
source developers.
Scott Harrison, director for Northern Europe of Linux distributor
Redhat, said, "In the US, Red Hat has set up bodies to promote open
source generally and we could help the NCC by showing how this
works.
"If it results in good, solid, proven open source products, UK IT
bills could be reduced by hundreds of millions of pounds," Harrison
added.
NCC recommendations
- Provide independent support and guidance on availability and
suitability of software
- Set up a national library of open source software and
compliance tests for reliability and interoperability
- Create standards to promote excellence in development,
distribution and implementation
- Promote technologies and standards and the establishment of a
clear cost of ownership model
- Appoint an independent convenor of initiatives to identify,
co-ordinate and leverage UK market opportunities.