Will the Next Generation Internet Still Depend on

Will the Next Generation Internet Still Depend on Open Source? Fred Baker Gadfly at large

Let's celebrate a little b 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 b Key software contributions • gcc - the common c/c++ compiler • Linux - open source operating system – The only real foil to Windows today Open Source Conference 2001

The copyleft principle b “Software should be free” b But that has not been consistent with reality • Consumer markets • Support costs Open Source Conference 2001

What has happened to that software? b TCP/IP now a product from many sources • Acceptance of changes is measured by whether they are in windows, not Free. BSD or Linux • Although Linux is a good second player b b b Bind - product of Vixie Enterprises Kerberos - incorporated into Windows (gack!) gcc - maintained by Cygnus for years • From corporate perspective, essentially a product of Cygnus b Linux - Red Hat, etc. . . Open Source Conference 2001

Why did that happen? b Evil greedy persons • They will try to make money… b 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 b 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. . . b Open source is a good way to get the right features quickly b Managed development/ownership is the way to a quality product Open Source Conference 2001

What is software development about? b It's about getting the right features b It's about delivering a product b It’s about getting good documentation b It's about predictable quality b It's about ISO 9001? Open Source Conference 2001

It's about getting the right features b Open • • • source can be good for this Quick bug fixes Quick new features Community can accept what is useful b 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 b Consumers have different requirements than engineers and researchers b Intellectual property puts food on the table • Ultimately, support costs drive it to a capitalist model b 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 b Readable by mere mortals b Translated into various languages b Applicable to user needs Open Source Conference 2001

It's about predictable quality b Patched up code looks like a patchwork • How many times have you rewritten code rather than commit a patch mailed in? b Process control allows for stable products • Someone needs to be in the driver's seat Open Source Conference 2001

It's about ISO 9001? b 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 21 st century b Exploration b Partnership Open Source Conference 2001

Open source exploration b Open source has been an effective vehicle for • Rapid prototyping • Exploratory code development • Trying out ideas b It will continue to be that Open Source Conference 2001

Partnership with commercial world b Industry frequently depends on open source products b Therefore open source must be willing to see products develop into commercial ventures b Expect more open source concepts to migrate into proprietary products Open Source Conference 2001