INTELLECTUAL ECONOMICS 2009, Number 1(5)
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKSTHE IMPACT OF FREE INFORMATION DECISIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES (review on Žilvinas Jančoras‘ and Mykolas Okulič-Kazarinas‘ manual “free information decisions”)
Mykolas Romeris University Publishing Centre. Vilnius. Lithuania 2009 Nr.1(5), p. 73-76
The study book “Open Information Systems”
introduces us to the domain of free open source software
and open formats and standards. It discusses
the causes and consequences of development of the
free open source software, its establishment in the
market and the reasons of its popularity Technical,
social, and economic factors behind the development
of open source software are disclosed. It considers
the need of open formats and standards, their impact
on the development of information technologies,
the principles of open source software licensing and
aspects of their application.
The book is addressed to students, graduates
and doctoral students of computer sciences, economics
and management, and to all those interested in
software application. It explains the reasons and consequences
of development of free open source software,
its popularity and establishment in the market.
It aims to reveal technical, social and economic factors
affecting the development of open source software.
The book examines the need for open formats
and standards, and their impact on information technology
development, the principles of open source
software licensing, and discusses the subtleties of its
application.
The reader is introduced to the models which
help to analyze and design information systems.
The manual assists in developing the skills necessary
in order to create more efficient information
systems for business, public sector or educational
establishments. It also discusses the application of
liberal licensing on other works: lists of programs,
encyclopedias and works of art.
Large emphasis is made on the open standards
which ensure the interoperability of software. The
benefits which this provides are increasingly understood
by the society. They are supported both by professional
organizations and public institutions. Increasing
demand for computers determined the increase
of demand in software. In addition, it became clear
that the software needs to be standard, not unique.
The increase of demand attracted companies which
engaged in software developing and sales. In September
1983 Richard Stallman launched the GNU
project. The primary purpose of the project was to
create a free operating system, which would be compatible
with Unix, a popular proprietary operating
system. This was a start for a unique movement,
which by its growth and strengthening has changed
both the understanding of information technology
business, and caused changes in other fields of intellectual
production. In the future it promises to take
us to a new stage of economic development, known
as a “gift economy.”
The term “Open Source Software” is understood
as software which is not protected by intellectual property
law. The right to copy it is not restricted. If the
original version of the software is in public domain,
it means that the program is free since it can be used
at anyone’s discretion. However, on the basis of this
software, other authors can create proprietary programs,
thus appropriating the results of others’ work,
because there are no rules which would preclude a
part of the open source software from being “closed”
by contracts or licenses.
Proprietary software is not free software. Typically,
such programs cannot be distributed, used in
several places, rented, etc. The original text of proprietary
software usually is not made public. The
term “proprietary software” is used to define a situation
which is a complete opposite of open source
software.
The free software movement is becoming a serious
competitor to virtually all software monopolies,
whereas the governments can contribute to this
movement by localizing the free software (translating
it into national languages), promoting it and user
training, and enhancing competition and by protecting
consumers. Import, export needs balance. The
countries without large proprietary software producers
need to import the necessary software from
abroad. If the country imports high-technology products,
in order to maintain the trade balance it needs
to export commodities or the products created by a
cheaper labour force. What change would it make
if the government and politicians were to promote
the wider use of free software? Free software should
not be acquired, hence its use does not create an outgoing
cash flow. Thus the country’s foreign trade
balance is improved. It also contributes to training
local experts. Usage of proprietary software leads to
training of local sellers, installers and administrators,
as only original programmers can correct the errors
and otherwise improve the program. Using free software
applications, as well as the necessary installer
moderators, creates an opportunity for local developers
to participate in correcting, improving programs
and acquire the skills both to use high technologies
and to create them.
The use of free software encourages growth of
local economy. If companies use free software, they
save money which is necessary to buy proprietary
software. Thus they can spend more on IT network
administration, development of specific software and
to train the employees.
Open-source technologies (open protocols and
formats) have become popular as a counterweight to
the closed protocols and formats which were often
used as a means of market monopolization. Open
standards are generally described in public organizations,
and are free for all to use. Due to the open standards,
any manufacturer can create high-quality online
programs, which actively compete against each
other, leading to reductions of software prices. This
is the first advantage for the consumer. In addition,
the users of software created by different producers,
can easily connect with each other. This encourages
the growth of the market and, ultimately, results in
benefits to both the users and software developers.
In 2000, a working group on libre software, created
at the initiative of European Commission’s Information
Society Directorate General, published its
study on „Free software/Open Source: Information
Society Opportunities for Europe? In it, the group
recommended the use of open standards:
“Just as it was important in the past to have
control over the operating system and the standards
of the formats for data interchange, in the future it
will be very important to have open data interfaces
in networks for electronic commerce and content interchange
between different services in the Internet.
[...] These application protocols should stay open,
with open source reference implementations, which
any company or individual can use or adapt to suit
their needs. Otherwise, anyone wishing to use those
services will need to purchase some proprietary
software from the company which sets the standard.
As these services are more and more part of the basic
infrastructure needed by any individual for their
everyday life and by any company for its normal
functioning, it becomes more and more critical that
their normal activities should not be controlled by
any given software provider.“
Their advantages were discussed in a symposium
organized by the European Commission for the
open source software in public administration. Those
advantages are – independence, security, possibility
to control pricing and changes.
Informatics and Software Systems Department
Faculty of Social Informatics
Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania