Identifying Business Barriers and Enablers for the Adoption of Open Source Software

The main research interest in Open Source Software (OSS) has been in answering the questions of why individuals and organizations without economic compensation contribute to OSS projects and how these projects are organized. In this paper we instead focus on managerial decisions for acquisition of OSS and discuss potential barriers for widespread use of OSS. Based on existing literature and a small case study, we develop and discuss the hypothesis that a major barrier may be the "customer" organizations’ uncertainty and unfamiliarity with the relationships with OSS "vendors". To develop viable models for these relationships is an important challenge, which we will deal with in a research project, of which this paper should be seen as a first step

Enterprise Achitecture versus Total Cost of Ownership

Abstract: The paper presents an explorative study of Open Source Software (OSS) focusing on the managerial decisions for acquisition of OSS. Based on three case studies we argue that whereas small organizations often may chose adoption of OSS expecting significant cost savings, a major barrier for larger organizations’ adoption of OSS lies in the organizations’ consolidation of the enterprise architectures, in addition to that OSS will not be adopted before satisfactory delivery and procurement models for OSS are established. Keywords: Open Source Software, OSS, Enterprise Architecture, Total Cost of Ownership, Delivery and Procurement Model

Sustainability of Free/Libre Open Source Projects: A Longitudinal Study

This paper examines the factors that influence the long-term sustainability of FLOSS projects. A model of project sustainability based on organizational ecology is developed and tested empirically. Data about activity and contribution patterns over the course of five years for 2,772 projects registered with SourceForge is analyzed. Our results suggest that the size of the project’s development base, project age and the size of niche occupied by the project are positively related to the project’s ability to attract user and/or developer resources. The ability to attract resources is an indicator of the perceived project legitimacy, which in turn is a strong predictor of the project’s future sustainability. Thus a project’s ability to attract developer and user resources is shown to play a mediating role between the demographic (size and age) and ecological (niche) characteristics of the project and its future sustainability. Our results support the applicability of tenets of organizational ecology related to the liability of smallness, the liability of newness, and population characteristics (niche size) to the FLOSS development environment. The implications of the results for future research and practice are discussed

Distributed learning in designing curriculum in a one-to-one computing environment

This qualitative study examined the access to, and use of, online resources, such as primary sources, lesson plans linked to standards, and participation in professional organizations and communities. The goal of this study was to examine how teachers have taken up the task of designing curriculum for delivery in classes where students have their own computers 24/7. It queried teachers about their theory of change linked to the implementation of one to one computing, the methods used to create and apply their own curriculum, and their orientation in general towards the use of technology in learning. It examined teachers\u27 views on student achievement in the use of teacher-made curriculum, and teachers\u27 impressions about the effectiveness of teacher-created curriculum as opposed to textbook centered curriculum. The primary focus was to examine the process and the effectiveness of teachers making their own curriculum for use in a one-to-one computing environment. While replacing textbooks with computers provided the context of this study, the goal was to examine how distributed learning and cognition affected the pedagogy of teachers in a technology-rich environment. The study revealed that teachers in a one-to-one environment are taking advantage of the technology to enhance their teaching, and thereby their students\u27 learning. It also showed that, even though this school is immersed in technology, the technology was not finally the point. Teachers did not feel the need to use the computers constantly, with a few teachers opting to use them very little. Teachers at the school combined traditional lesson planning and curriculum design techniques with state of the art digital tools. Teachers generally found that the formula was working, that students\u27 achievement was going up, and that the school was a more effective learning environment. Teachers were able to create their own curriculum, using Internet resources, receiving critical support from the school, plan in collaborative groups, believe that use of Internet resources is as good or better than that provided by state-approved textbooks. Technology was generally viewed as a positive influence on students, and student outcomes were positively influenced by the use of technology

Collective systems for creative expression

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2006.Includes bibliographical references (p. 123-126).This thesis defines collective systems as a unique category of creative expression through the procedures of micro and macro cycles that address the transition from connectivity to collectivity. This thesis discusses the necessary technology, context, and terminology, and provides a conceptual structure for the execution, discussion and evaluation of these procedures. This is supported through discussing the author's contribution to the OPENSTUDIO project and the Open I/O system.by Harun Burak Arıkan.S.M