TheOpenAnalyst

In the early days of computing, you couldn’t run an IBM System 34 program on a Digital Equipment Corp. VAX mini-computer. Software had to be written for a specific operating environment, which often included hardware. In today’s business world all that has changed thanks to the influence of IBM and later Microsoft with the advent of the IBM PC standard and Microsoft DOS/Windows.

The traditional software model involves developing source code (program instructions) that is protected by a legal patent (intellectual property) so that no one can use, copy or modify it without purchasing or licensing it from the author. Now there is a shift from proprietary software to open software (which allows you to freely use, copy and modify) and standardized software (which runs on any platform). This trend is driven by companies such as IBM, Novell, Google and Sun and by the power of the Internet and innovative developers around the world. A good book on the subject is The Cathedral and the Bazaar, by Eric S. Raymond. It is amazing how so many divergent contributions and inputs can result in such high-quality products. But it seems to work.

Linux/Open Source – Business Software: Open Source and Cloud Computing

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