A framework for creating hybrid-open source software communities

Abstract The open source software (OSS) model is a fundamentally new and revolutionary way to develop software. The success of the OSS model is also setting the stage for a structural change in the software industry; it is beginning to transform software industry from manufacturing to a service industry. Despite the success of the OSS model, for‐profit organizations are having difficulty building a business model around the open source paradigm. Whereas there are some isolated empirical studies, little rigorous research has been done on how traditional organizations can implement and benefit from OSS practices. This research explores how organizations can foster an environment similar to OSS to manage their software development efforts to reap its numerous advantages. Drawing on organizational theory, we develop a framework that guides the creation and management of a hybrid‐OSS community within an organization. We discuss the implications of this framework and suggest areas for future research.     

A strategic analysis for successful open source software utilization based on a structural equation model

Commercial software companies face many challenges when competing in today’s fast moving and competitive industry environment. Recently, the use of open source software (OSS) has been proposed as a possible way to address those challenges. OSS provides many benefits, including high-quality software and substantial profits. Nevertheless, OSS has not been effectively utilized in real business. The purpose of this paper is to find what affects the utilization of OSS. For this study, we propose a structural equation model (SEM) to analyze the relationships between the quality factors based on ISO/IEC 9126 and OSS utilization. In addition, we suggest an open source software utilization index (OSSUI) based on the proposed SEM. The results provide us with the controllable feedback information to improve user (programmer) satisfaction during OSS utilization.     

软件发布机制体系结构研究

针对现有软件发布方式主要以开发者的角度进行软件开发后生命周期管理所存在的问题,提出了更为合理的以用户的角度进行软件开发后生命周期管理的思想,建立了一种新的软件发布机制体系结构.该发布机制试图解决如下问题:让用户透明地使用软件,即用户不需要显式地进行软件的安装、更新和卸载;支持软件的即点即用和使用态发布,使用态发布指安装了某软件的计算机可以作为该软件的发布源;使得系统重装后能够以较小的代价恢复到指定的状态点.最后,分析了软件动态更新和分布式软件系统发布所应解决的问题.     

Participatory design in OSS development: interpretive case studies in company and community OSS development contexts

This article examines distributed participatory design in open source software (OSS) development. User participation is becoming a relevant topic of research in the OSS development context. Though it has not been examined much to date, the OSS development context has been argued to advocate a particular type of participatory design, which can now be scrutinised in its natural setting as it evolves. Two interpretive case studies on user participation in OSS development are included in this article. The first examines a traditional community OSS development project; the second concentrates on the company OSS development context, the case being a software development unit of a global corporation involved in OSS development. Through analysis of the cases, different forms of participatory design (PD), especially of distributed PD, are identified. Distributed PD is interpreted to include gaining an understanding of users' current practices, redesigning them together with users and gathering feedback from users related to the solutions. Different kinds of roles are available to users, as well as to for intermediaries ‘representing users’. Especially, the importance of online forum-based and intermediary-driven PD is emphasised in this article. Implications for PD and OSS research and practice are considered.     

A quantile estimation for massive data with generalized Pareto distribution

This paper proposes a new method of estimating extreme quantiles of heavy-tailed distributions for massive data. The method utilizes the Peak Over Threshold (POT) method with generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) that is commonly used to estimate extreme quantiles and the parameter estimation of GPD using the empirical distribution function (EDF) and nonlinear least squares (NLS). We first estimate the parameters of GPD using EDF and NLS and then, estimate multiple high quantiles for massive data based on observations over a certain threshold value using the conventional POT. The simulation results demonstrate that our parameter estimation method has a smaller Mean square error (MSE) than other common methods when the shape parameter of GPD is at least 0. The estimated quantiles also show the best performance in terms of root MSE (RMSE) and absolute relative bias (ARB) for heavy-tailed distributions.     

Diffusion dynamics of open source software: An agent-based computational economics (ACE) approach

The rising popularity of open source software (OSS) calls for a better understanding of the drivers of its adoption and diffusion. In this research, we propose an integrated framework that simultaneously investigates a broad range of social and economic factors on the diffusion dynamics of OSS using an Agent Based Computational Economics (ACE) approach. We find that interoperability costs, variability of OSS support costs, and duration of PS upgrade cycle are major determinants of OSS diffusion. Furthermore, there are interaction effects between network topology, network density and interoperability costs, which strongly influence the diffusion dynamics of OSS. The proposed model can be used as a building block to further investigate complex competitive dynamics in software markets.     

Reliability assessment based on hazard rate model for an embedded OSS porting‐phase

Embedded Open Source Software (OSS) systems have been gaining a lot of attention in the embedded system area. The successful experience of embedded OSSs include Android, BusyBox, TRON, etc. Also, OSS market will be expanded not only to mobile phone OSS areas but also to other embedded OSS areas in the future. However, the poor handling of quality problem and customer support prohibit the progress of embedded OSS. Also, it is difficult for developers to assess the reliability and portability of embedded OSS on a single‐board computer. A method of software reliability assessment based on flexible hazard rate modeling for the embedded OSS is proposed in this paper. Also, several numerical examples are shown by using actual data. Moreover, this paper compares the proposed model with the conventional hazard rate models by using the comparison criteria of goodness‐of‐fit. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于群智能的模糊多目标软件可靠性冗余分配

针对软件可靠性冗余分配问题,建立了一种模糊多目标分配模型,并提出了基于分布估计的细菌觅食优化算法求解该模型。将软件可靠性和成本作为模糊目标函数,通过三角形隶属函数对模糊多目标进行处理,用高斯分布对细菌觅食算法进行优化,并将该优化算法用来求解多目标软件可靠性冗余分配问题,设置不同的隶属函数参数可以得到不同的Pareto最优解,实验数据验证了该群智能算法对解决多目标软件可靠性分配的有效性和正确性,Pareto最优解可为在可靠性和成本之间决策提供依据。     

基于Pareto分布的众包工人欺骗行为处理方法

由于众包的组织模式自由松散,致使众包工人在完成任务的过程中存在欺骗行为。如何识别工人的欺骗行为并降低其影响,从而保障众包任务的完成质量,已经成为众包领域的研究热点之一。通过对任务结果的评估与分析,针对众包工人统一型欺骗行为,提出了一种基于广义Pareto分布（GPD）的权重设置算法（WSABG）。该算法对GPD进行极大似然估计,并用二分法逼近似然函数的零点以计算出尺度参数σ和形状参数ε。算法中定义了新的权重公式,并利用众包工人完成当前任务的反馈数据赋予每位工人一个绝对影响权重,最终设计出了基于GPD的众包工人权重设置框架。所提算法可以解决任务结果数据之间差异性小且容易集中在两极的问题。以烟台大学学生评教数据为实验数据集,提出了区间转移矩阵的概念,证明了WSABG算法的有效性和优势。     

混合多目标粒子群优化算法在热精轧负荷分配优化中的应用

通过对热精轧负荷分配过程的分析,选取负荷均衡、板形良好和轧制功率最低为目标,建立了热精轧负荷分配多目标优化模型.为了提高多目标优化算法解集的分布性和收敛性,提出了一种混合多目标粒子群优化算法(HMOPSO),该算法根据Pareto支配关系得到Pareto前沿进而保证种群收敛;采用分解策略维护外部存档,该策略首先根据Pareto前沿求出上界点对目标空间进行归一化处理,然后对种群进行分区处理进而保证种群的分布性能.仿真结果表明,HMOPSO的收敛性和分布性都好于MOPSO和d MOPSO;采用模糊多属性决策的方法从Pareto最优解集中选择一个Pareto最优解,通过与经验负荷分配方法相比,表明该Pareto最优解可以使轧制方案更加合理.     

基于随机决策模型的动态功耗管理策略研究

由于功耗的严格约束,现代嵌入式计算终端必须采用科学的动态功耗管理策略.文中在对计算机系统的动态功耗管理(Dynamic Power Management,DPM)模型深入研究的基础上,采用改进的DPM随机决策模型,从理论上证明了DPM最优策略是确定性马尔可夫策略,这为简化DPM控制算法提供了理论依据.在实例研究中,比较了空闲时间长度服从负指数分布与Pareto分布两种情况,发现经典的空闲时间长度服从负指数分布的假设与实际情况偏差很大.Pareto分布很好解释DPM超时策略在实际应用中可以取得优良节能效果这一现象.     

Empirical study of open source software selection for adoption,based on software quality characteristics

Currently, open source software (OSS) products have started to become popular in the market as an alternative to traditional proprietary or closed source software. Governments and organizations are beginning to adopt OSS on a large scale and several governmental initiatives have encouraged the use of OSS in the private sector. One major issue for the government and private sector is the selection of appropriate OSS. This paper uses new internal quality characteristics for selecting OSS that can be added to the dimensions of DeLone and McLean information systems’ model. Through this study, the quality characteristics are organized in a two level hierarchy, which list characteristics and sub-characteristics that are interconnected with three main dimensions: system quality, information quality and service quality. These characteristic dimensions are tailored to the criteria having been built from literature study and standard for software quality and guidelines. This paper presents case study results of applying the proposed quality characteristic on eight different open source software that are divided between open source network tools and learning management systems.     

面向互联网的开源软件自动化评估证据框架

如何从海量的、公共可获取的互联网资源中快速定位和获取高质量、满足自身特定需求的开源软件资源是当前软件开发技术核心竞争力的一个重要体现.本文研究了互联网上开源软件各种可信证据的存在及分布形式,给出了相关数据的定位和自动化获取方法;提出了面向互联网的开源软件自动化评估证据框架,用于解决互联网数据到软件可信证据的映射问题;提出面向互联网上海量软件资源的开源软件可信证据查询平台实现方法,用于解决软件可信证据的自动化获取及使用问题;基于该系统能够极大的提高评估效率,使得用户准确、快速、全面的了解相关软件项目的各种信息.最后,通过两个典型的开源软件实例证实了上述证据框架和方法的可行性.     

Generating Web Traffic Based on User Behavioral Model

Generating web traffic is of great importance to analyze performance of new designed network, test new equipment, and verify new protocols, etc.. However, most existing traffic generation systems tend to simulate the overall characteristics of network traffic, while neglecting of the behavior of the individual users. Nevertheless, in principle, the emerged characteristics of overall traffic originate from the aggregation of individual users＇ access behavior. In this paper, we propose an innovative web traffic generating method based on user browsing behavior. Our method simulates the real users＇ accessing behavior, and visits the real web servers. Then, we design and develop a web traffic generating system. Because our system accesses the real websites, it can produce almost the real network traffic. The test results show that the traffic generated by our system has characteristics of burstiness and self-similarity, which are widely found and characterized in many real networks. In addition, our system can better reflect real user＇s web browsing behavior.     

An empirical analysis of open source software developers’ motivations and continuance intentions

We investigated open source software (OSS) developers’ intentions to continue their involvement in future projects. The research goal was to analyze the motivations of OSS developers systematically and identify those factors that influenced their continuation. A work motivation model for OSS developers was proposed and a research model was empirically validated using data from a field survey of 148 OSS participants. The results showed that OSS developers’ feelings of satisfaction and their intentions to continue with OSS development was influenced by both helping behavior and economic incentives and also that adequate motivators existed, though OSS developers did not benefit equally and there was substantial room to improve their experiences as OSS developers.     

Comparing the relative importance of evaluation criteria in proprietary and open‐source enterprise application software selection – a conjoint study of ERP and Office systems

Until recently, organizations willing to acquire application systems have had no choice but to adopt proprietary software. With the advent of open‐source software (OSS), a new model for developing and distributing software has entered the stage. OSS has evolved from a generally horizontal infrastructure towards more highly visible applications in vertical domains, giving information systems (IS) managers more degrees of freedom in their selection of enterprise application software (EAS). Although a large body of research exists on the relative importance of evaluation criteria for proprietary EAS, the role of OSS in the EAS evaluation process has received little attention so far. To address this research gap, this study represents the first empirical investigation to compare the relative importance of evaluation criteria in proprietary and open‐source EAS selection. Through an online survey, we evaluated the responses of IS managers of 358 organizations to a conjoint study spawning 8592 trade‐off pair comparisons and 3580 purchase evaluations on proprietary and open‐source enterprise resource planning (ERP) and Office software packages. The results show that the relative importance of evaluation criteria significantly varies between proprietary and open‐source ERP systems. Implementation factors such as ease of implementation and support are much more crucial in the evaluation of open‐source than of proprietary ERP systems, which is generally due to IS managers' risk mitigation behaviour. Interestingly, there are no major differences in the ranking of evaluation criteria between proprietary and open‐source Office systems. We conclude our paper with a detailed discussion of our findings and their implications for researchers, companies, EAS vendors and open‐source communities.     

A change‐point perspective on the software failure process

In the software reliability growth phase, the nature of the failure data is, in a sense, determined by the software testing process. There are many factors that affect software testing. These factors are unlikely to all be kept stable during the entire process of software testing, with the result that the underlying statistics of the failure process is likely to experience major changes. In this case, it is appropriate to use the change‐point method in the reliability analysis. This paper considers a change‐point model and proposes a change‐point estimator for reliability analysis. Experimentally, the change‐point method is applied to a real dataset, which verifies the validity of the model. A Monte Carlo simulation study on the asymptotic properties of the estimator indicates that the model is consistent. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

开源软件自动化评估证据框架

互联网上已形成了规模巨大、种类丰富的开源软件资源。如何准确、快速地判断一个开源项目的各种可信属性是否满足需求是当前软件工程领域研究的热点。深入分析已有开源软件评估模型,总结互联网上软件质量相关的各种信息,提出了面向开源软件的可信评估证据框架,并基于该框架构建了一种开源软件可信证据查询平台。利用该平台能够极大地提高评估效率,用户可以准确、快速、全面地了解相关软件项目的各种信息。最后,以一个知名开源软件证实了该证据框架及证据查询平台的可行性。     

Using the Manhattan distance for computing the multiobjective Markov chains problem

This paper presents a novel method for computing the multi-objective problem in the case of a metric state space using the Manhattan distance. The problem is restricted to a class of ergodic controllable finite Markov chains. This optimization approach is developed for converging to an optimal solution that corresponds to a strong Pareto optimal point in the Pareto front. The method consists of a two-step iterated procedure: (a) the first step consists on an approximation to a strong Pareto optimal point and, (b) the second step is a refinement of the previous approximation. We formulate the problem adding the Tikhonov's regularization method to ensure the convergence of the cost-functions to a unique strong point into the Pareto front. We prove that there exists an optimal solution that is a strong Pareto optimal solution and it is the closest solution to the utopian point of the Pareto front. The proposed solution is validated theoretically and by a numerical example considering the vehicle routing planning problem.     

基于多区域中心点预测的动态多目标优化算法

现实生活中存在很多动态多目标优化问题(DMOPs),这类问题要求算法在环境变化后快速收敛到新的Pareto前沿,并保持解集的多样性,随着Pareto前沿复杂程度的增加,这一问题更加突出.鉴于此,提出一种基于多区域中心点预测的动态多目标优化算法(MCPDMO).首先,根据环境变化的严重程度将种群划分为多个子区域,使得个体的分配更加适应动态变化的环境;然后,分别计算每个子区域的中心点,对不同子区域在不同时刻的中心点建立时间序列,并利用差分模型预测新环境的最优解集,以提高算法对不同环境变化的响应能力;最后,为验证算法的有效性,与3种动态多目标优化算法在10个标准测试函数上进行仿真实验.实验结果表明,所提出算法在具有复杂Pareto前沿的动态问题上表现出更优的收敛性和分布性.