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.     

Virtual organizational learning in open source software development projects

We studied virtual organizational learning in open source software (OSS) development projects. Specifically, our research focused on learning effects of OSS projects and the factors that affect the learning process. The number and percentage of resolved bugs and bug resolution time of 118 SourceForge.net OSS projects were used to measure the learning effects. Projects were characterized by project type, number and experience of developers, number of bugs, and bug resolution time. Our results provided evidence of virtual organizational learning in OSS development projects and support for several factors as determinants of performance. Team size was a significant predictor, with mid-sized project teams functioning best. Teams of three to seven developers exhibited the highest efficiency over time and teams of eight to 15 produced the lowest mean time for bug resolution. Increasing the percentage of bugs assigned to specific developers or boosting developer participation in other OSS projects also improved performance. Furthermore, project type introduced variability in project team performance.     

A systematic review of research on open source software in commercial software product development

Context

The popularity of the open source software development in the last decade, has brought about an increased interest from the industry on how to use open source components, participate in the open source community, build business models around this type of software development, and learn more about open source development methodologies. There is a need to understand the results of research in this area.

Objective

Since there is a need to understand conducted research, the aim of this study is to summarize the findings of research that has ben carried out on usage of open source components and development methodologies by the industry, as well as companies’ participation in the open source community.

Method

Systematic review through searches in library databases and manual identification of articles from the open source conference. The search was first carried out in May 2009 and then once again in May 2010.

Results

In 2009, 237 articles were first found, from which 19 were selected based on content and quality, and in 2010, 76 new articles were found from which four were selected. Twenty three articles were identified in total.

Conclusions

The articles could be divided into four categories: open source as part of component based software engineering, business models with open source in commercial organization, company participation in open source development communities, and usage of open source processes within a company.     

User acceptance model of open source software

The development and implementation of open source software (OSS) is one of the most current topics within the academic, business and political environments. Traditionally, research in OSS has focused on identifying individual personal motives for participating in the development of an OSS project, analyzing specific OSS solutions, or the OSS movement, itself. Nevertheless, user acceptance towards this type of technology has received very little attention. For this reason, the main purpose of the current study is to identify the variables and factors that have a direct effect on individual attitude towards OSS adoption. Therefore, we have developed a technological acceptance model on behalf of the users towards a solution based on OSS. For this development, we have considered the technology acceptance model. Findings show that OSS is a viable solution for information management for organizations.     

Understanding knowledge sharing activities in free/open source software projects: An empirical study

Free/Open Source Software (F/OSS) projects are people-oriented and knowledge intensive software development environments. Many researchers focused on mailing lists to study coding activities of software developers. How expert software developers interact with each other and with non-developers in the use of community products have received little attention. This paper discusses the altruistic sharing of knowledge between knowledge providers and knowledge seekers in the Developer and User mailing lists of the Debian project. We analyze the posting and replying activities of the participants by counting the number of email messages they posted to the lists and the number of replies they made to questions others posted. We found out that participants interact and share their knowledge a lot, their positing activity is fairly highly correlated with their replying activity, the characteristics of posting and replying activities are different for different kinds of lists, and the knowledge sharing activity of self-organizing Free/Open Source communities could best be explained in terms of what we called “Fractal Cubic Distribution” rather than the power-law distribution mostly reported in the literature. The paper also proposes what could be researched in knowledge sharing activities in F/OSS projects mailing list and for what purpose. The research findings add to our understanding of knowledge sharing activities in F/OSS projects.     

Reliability analysis and optimal version-updating for open source software

Context

Although reliability is a major concern of most open source projects, research on this problem has attracted attention only recently. In addition, the optimal version-dating for open source software considering its special properties is not yet discussed.

Objective

In this paper, the reliability analysis and optimal version-updating for open source software are studied.

Method

A modified non-homogeneous Poisson process model is developed for open source software reliability modeling and analysis. Based on this model, optimal version-updating for open source software is investigated as well. In the decision process, the rapid release strategy and the level of reliability are the two most important factors. However, they are essentially contradicting with each other. In order to consider these two conflicting factors simultaneously, a new decision model based on multi-attribute utility theory is proposed.

Results

Our models are tested on the real world data sets from two famous open source projects: Apache and GNOME. It is found that traditional software reliability models provide overestimations of the reliability of open source software. In addition, the proposed decision model can help management to make a rational decision on the optimal version-updating for open source software.

Conclusion

Empirical results reveal that the proposed model for open source software reliability can describe the failure process more accurately. Furthermore, it can be seen that the proposed decision model can assist management to appropriately determine the optimal version-update time for open source software.     

Open source software and the algorithm visualization community

Algorithm visualizations are widely viewed as having the potential for major impact on computer science education, but their quality is highly variable. We report on the software development practices used by creators of algorithm visualizations, based on data that can be inferred from a catalog of over 600 algorithm visualizations. Since nearly all are free for use and many provide source code, they might be construed as being open source software. Yet many AV developers do not appear to have used open source best practices. We discuss how such development practices might be employed by the algorithm visualization community, and how they might lead to improved algorithm visualizations in the future. We conclude with a discussion of OpenDSA, an open-source project that builds on earlier progress in the field of algorithm visualization and hopes to use open-source procedures to gain users and contributors.     

Beyond free software: An exploration of the business value of strategic open source

The phenomenon of open source software (OSS) has been well studied from the software development perspective, but it has received much less attention from the perspective of business value. Nevertheless, OSS, when viewed as a value creation process rather than ‘free’ software, provides businesses with value through access to knowledge and innovation capacity resident in online communities. This conceptualisation, which we label ‘strategic open source’ requires firms to rethink their strategy and processes as there is a shift in focus from ownership to openness and collaboration with external parties. Nonetheless, the emergence of OSS poses a puzzle for conceptions of organisational theory. Therefore, a theorising process is needed in order to develop a deeper understanding of how value is created and captured with OSS. Using a field study of eleven European firms, this paper explores the creation and capture of business value from strategic open source. The findings reveal that while decision makers look to open innovation initiatives like OSS for value creation and capture, there is still a desire to remain self reliant, resulting in collaborative design (of external innovations) rather than collaborative decision making with value network partners in relation to how such innovations would help create and capture value within firms.     

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.     

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.     

化学信息学开源软件的集成与复用

软件集成与复用是提高开发效率和质量的重要途径,而开发标准是实现集成与复用的重要因素。通过分析InChI、Jmol和BALL等实例,提出了化学信息学开源软件开发的数据通信标准、界面标准和模块标准问题。在此基础上,以作者进行的分子相似性与差异性研究为例,展示了对开源科学计算软件SciLab的主成分分析(PCA)模块进行改进、集成和复用的情况,说明对开源软件应采取扬弃态度,保障集成、复用的成效。     

大型自由和开源软件进化研究

大型自由和开源软件的各种版本源代码和相关开发信息是软件工程研究者研究开源软件项目的重要数据源.归纳开源软件项目的数据源及数据收集方法,给出Linux、FreeBSD操作系统内核的软件进化的分析方法和相关分析结果.重点分析了系统和主要子系统的复杂性进化趋势及推动进化主要原因,提出了快速测算大型开源软件复杂性的方法.得出系统目前以超线性方式进化,而进化的主要推动力是适应系统硬件资源的进化.     

Investigating recognition-based performance in an open content community: A social capital perspective

As the open source movement grows, it becomes important to understand the dynamics that affect the motivation of participants who contribute their time freely to such projects. One important motivation that has been identified is the desire for formal recognition in the open source community. We investigated the impact of social capital in participants’ social networks on their recognition-based performance; i.e., the formal status they are accorded in the community. We used a sample of 465 active participants in the Wikipedia open content encyclopedia community to investigate the effects of two types of social capital and found that network closure, measured by direct and indirect ties, had a significant positive effect on increasing participants’ recognition-based performance. Structural holes had mixed effects on participants’ status, but were generally a source of social capital.     

The Basin of Mexico Hydrogeological Database (BMHDB): Implementation, queries and interaction with open source software

Integrated Water Management at the Basin level is a concept that was introduced in the 1990s and is a goal in every national and local water management plan. Unfortunately this goal has not been achieved mainly due to a lack of both tools and data management, as data must be gathered from different sources and in different formats. Compounding this problem is the fact that in some regions different water agencies are in charge of water supply as is the case in the Basin of Mexico, in which Mexico City and its Metropolitan Zone are located. The inhabitants of the Basin of Mexico, which comprises five different political entities and in which different agencies are in charge of water supply rely on the Basin's aquifer system as its main water supply source. However, a regional hydrogeological database in this area does not exist which is why the use of both a Relational Database Management System (RDMBS) and a Geographic Information System (GIS) is proposed in order to improve regional data management in the study area. Data stored in this new database, the Basin of Mexico Hydrogeological Database (BMHDB) comprise data on climatological, borehole and run-off variables, readily providing information for the development of hydrogeological models. A simple example is used to show how geostatistical analysis can be done using the data directly from the BMHDB. The structure of the BMHDB allows easy maintenance and updating, representing a valuable tool for the development of regional studies.     

Characteristics of Open Source Software Projects for the General Population: Reciprocity and Network Effects

In this paper, we conceptualize about, and empirically test for, differences between the more traditional Open Source Software (OSS) projects that are aimed towards techies-only and the projects that are aimed towards the general population. By drawing upon the theories of Reciprocity and Network Effects, we propose that OSS projects for techies-only are more likely to exhibit characteristics that are explained by balanced reciprocity, whereas OSS projects for the general population are more likely to show characteristics that are rooted in generalized reciprocity. In addition, we propose that local network effects can be used to explain certain characteristics of OSS projects for techies-only, whereas direct and indirect network effects shape the corresponding characteristics of OSS projects for the general population differently. The findings support our hypotheses and lead us to recommend actions for OSS projects targeted towards the general population, as well as suggestions for future research.     

Open source EMR software: Profiling,insights and hands-on analysis

Background

The use of open source software in health informatics is increasingly advocated by authors in the literature. Although there is no clear evidence of the superiority of the current open source applications in the healthcare field, the number of available open source applications online is growing and they are gaining greater prominence. This repertoire of open source options is of a great value for any future-planner interested in adopting an electronic medical/health record system, whether selecting an existent application or building a new one. The following questions arise. How do the available open source options compare to each other with respect to functionality, usability and security? Can an implementer of an open source application find sufficient support both as a user and as a developer, and to what extent? Does the available literature provide adequate answers to such questions? This review attempts to shed some light on these aspects.

Objective

The objective of this study is to provide more comprehensive guidance from an implementer perspective toward the available alternatives of open source healthcare software, particularly in the field of electronic medical/health records.

Methods

The design of this study is twofold. In the first part, we profile the published literature on a sample of existent and active open source software in the healthcare area. The purpose of this part is to provide a summary of the available guides and studies relative to the sampled systems, and to identify any gaps in the published literature with respect to our research questions. In the second part, we investigate those alternative systems relative to a set of metrics, by actually installing the software and reporting a hands-on experience of the installation process, usability, as well as other factors.

Results

The literature covers many aspects of open source software implementation and utilization in healthcare practice. Roughly, those aspects could be distilled into a basic taxonomy, making the literature landscape more perceivable. Nevertheless, the surveyed articles fall short of fulfilling the targeted objective of providing clear reference to potential implementers. The hands-on study contributed a more detailed comparative guide relative to our set of assessment measures. Overall, no system seems to satisfy an industry-standard measure, particularly in security and interoperability. The systems, as software applications, feel similar from a usability perspective and share a common set of functionality, though they vary considerably in community support and activity.

Conclusion

More detailed analysis of popular open source software can benefit the potential implementers of electronic health/medical records systems. The number of examined systems and the measures by which to compare them vary across studies, but still rewarding insights start to emerge. Our work is one step toward that goal. Our overall conclusion is that open source options in the medical field are still far behind the highly acknowledged open source products in other domains, e.g. operating systems market share.     

Leadership characteristics and developers’ motivation in open source software development

Open Source Software (OSS) is generally developed by interested professionals who have decided to participate in the process. The presence of effective leaders who both steer the development and motivate the developers is crucial to ensure a successful product. Using path-goal theory and built on leadership and motivation theories, we proposed and tested a model that can be used to assess the relationship between an OSS project leader's leadership style and a developer's motivation to contribute to the software development. We specifically decomposed the leadership and motivation construct to understand the hidden mechanisms by which leadership impacts motivation. A set of survey data collected from 118 OSS developers on Sourceforge.net was used to test our hypotheses. Our results indicate that leaders’ transformational leadership is positively related to developers’ intrinsic motivation and that leaders’ active management style is positively related to the developers’ extrinsic motivation.     

开源软件生产的网络化创新系统研究

从系统工程、经济学和生态学的角度分析了开源软件社区的内在创新机理。首先,基于系统学理论定义了开源软件生产系统的概念;然后通过分析开源软件与私有软件生产系统的差异,归纳了开源生产行为的经济学特征;最后基于耗散结构理论和复杂科学理论提出了创新熵来度量开源社区的创新效能,并进一步揭示了开源社区网络创新的内在演化机理。     

Introducing a new open source GIS user interface for the SWAT model

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is a robust watershed modeling tool. It typically uses the ArcSWAT interface to create its inputs. ArcSWAT is public domain software which works in the licensed ArcGIS environment. The aim of this paper was to develop an open source user interface for the SWAT model. The interface, QSWAT, is written in the Python programming language and uses various functionalities of the open source geographic information system, QGIS. The current interface performs similar functions to ArcSWAT, but with additional enhanced features such as merging small subbasins and static and dynamic visualization of outputs. The interface is demonstrated through a case study in the Gumera watershed in the Lake Tana basin of Ethiopia, where it showed a successful performance. QSWAT will be a valuable tool for the SWAT scientific community, with improved availability and functionality compared with other options for creating SWAT models.