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Will the Next Generation Internet Still Depend on Open Source?. Fred Baker Gadfly at large. Key internet developments DDN internet suite - won by ubiquity Bind - specification for DNS Sendmail - common mailer Majordomo - the other mailer MRTG - common SNMP monitor Kerberos - key exchange.
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Will the Next Generation Internet Still Depend on Open Source? Fred Baker Gadfly at large
Key internet developments DDN internet suite - won by ubiquity Bind - specification for DNS Sendmail - common mailer Majordomo - the other mailer MRTG - common SNMP monitor Kerberos - key exchange Key software contributions gcc - the common c/c++ compiler Linux - open source operating system The only real foil to Windows today Let's celebrate a little Open Source Conference 2001
The copyleft principle • “Software should be free” • But that has not been consistent with reality • Consumer markets • Support costs Open Source Conference 2001
What has happened to that software? • TCP/IP now a product from many sources • Acceptance of changes is measured by whether they are in windows, not FreeBSD or Linux • Although Linux is a good second player • Bind - product of Vixie Enterprises • Kerberos - incorporated into Windows (gack!) • gcc - maintained by Cygnus for years • From corporate perspective, essentially a product of Cygnus • Linux - Red Hat, etc... Open Source Conference 2001
Why did that happen? • Evil greedy persons • They will try to make money… • Great products need more than code that can be downloaded • Users need reliable support • Neophytes can’t be expected to change code • Delivery vehicles have to be shrink-wrapped for consumer audience • Feature sets fossilize over time • Eventually software does “the right thing” • Folks start relying on it to be stable Open Source Conference 2001
What if... • Open source is a good way to get the right features quickly • Managed development/ownership is the way to a quality product Open Source Conference 2001
What is software development about? • It's about getting the right features • It's about delivering a product • It’s about getting good documentation • It's about predictable quality • It's about ISO 9001? Open Source Conference 2001
It's about getting the right features • Open source can be good for this • Quick bug fixes • Quick new features • Community can accept what is useful • What about consumer markets? • Does your grandmother participate in open source development? • She uses your products without your expertise Open Source Conference 2001
It's about delivering a product • Consumers have different requirements than engineers and researchers • Intellectual property puts food on the table • Ultimately, support costs drive it to a capitalist model • Intellectual property defends against competitors • Many companies make significant income by claiming origination of ideas Open Source Conference 2001
It’s about getting good documentation • Readable by mere mortals • Translated into various languages • Applicable to user needs Open Source Conference 2001
It's about predictable quality • Patched up code looks like a patchwork • How many times have you rewritten code rather than commit a patch mailed in? • Process control allows for stable products • Someone needs to be in the driver's seat Open Source Conference 2001
It's about ISO 9001? • Corporate customers demand documentation of processes • This is a source of a great deal of mindlessness • Also a source of control of product Open Source Conference 2001
Open source in the 21st century • Exploration • Partnership Open Source Conference 2001
Open source exploration • Open source has been an effective vehicle for • Rapid prototyping • Exploratory code development • Trying out ideas • It will continue to be that Open Source Conference 2001
Partnership with commercial world • Industry frequently depends on open source products • Therefore open source must be willing to see products develop into commercial ventures • Expect more open source concepts to migrate into proprietary products Open Source Conference 2001