The Role of Open Source Software

   The open source software (OSS) movement has garnered headlines in a
   variety of computing journals, and Linux -- an open source operating
   system -- has even been touted as a competitor to Microsoft Windows.
   Also, in articles and speeches, librarians such as Yale's Daniel
   Chudnov have exhorted colleagues to embrace OSS. So what is all the
   fuss about?

   To understand OSS, you must first understand how software is created.
   Programs are written in a "high-level" language -- easy for humans to
   understand but not machines. For a computer to understand a computer
   program, it must first be translated into "machine code," which lays
   out the steps the computer must execute. Some programming languages,
   such as Perl, are interpreted into machine code the moment they are
   executed. Other languages must be compiled into binary or machine form
   before being executed. The compiling process also renders the program
   unreadable (and unchangeable). To alter a compiled program, you must
   return to the source, or high-level version of it. Open source
   software, then, is freely distributed in uncompiled form and can be
   easily read and altered.

   Commercial software is distributed only in compiled form, thereby
   preventing people from understanding how it was created. Distributing
   the source code of programs, then, is somewhat of a revolutionary act,
   or at the very least an altruistic one. For a more complete definition
   of open source software, see [129]http://www.opensource.org. For more
   information on the OSS movement and librarians, see Chudnov's article
   "Open Source Software: The Future of Library Systems?"

   OSS and digital libraries

   Prototyping.
   Developing digital library collections and services often means
   creating new kinds of tools and services. Prototypes are an important
   part of the development process.

   Open source software contributes to prototype development by being
   free, as well as alterable to different specifications. This enables
   digital library developers to prototype new systems for very little
   up-front cost, which helps persuade funding sources to back a project.

   Production Services.
   Open source software also can be used for producing digital library
   collections and services, many of which already run on open source
   software. The popular Apache web server is but one example. Originally
   beginning as the National Center for Supercomputing Applications web
   server (NCSA also produced Mosaic, the first graphical web browser),
   the Apache project allowed programmers everywhere to embellish and
   enhance that free software package.

   Cooperative software development.
   The OSS model allows digital library developers to codevelop software
   solutions easily and openly. Commercial companies must by necessity be
   secretive in their projects. Tools and techniques developed by the open
   source movement (such as version control software) readily support
   collaboration among a diverse group of developers who may be physically
   far from one another.

   Cost.
   As OSS is distributed for free, if the particular application turns out
   not to solve your problem, you have only wasted your time. Also, since
   cost is not a factor, it is trivial to install and test out software
   before committing to use it for a particular project.

   Projects.
   The most ambitious library-based OSS development project is the Open
   Source Digital Library System, an effort to create a library automation
   system from scratch. As one might expect from a volunteer project that
   began less than a year ago, it has not progressed very far -- but that
   could change.

   Most OSS projects are not nearly as ambitious. But small applications
   can be used with other applications to create full-featured services.
   For example, some services on the Berkeley Digital Library SunSITE,
   including our very popular indexes to Internet resources, Librarians'
   Index to the Internet and KidsClick!, are based on an open source web
   site indexing package (SWISH-E) and in-house Perl scripts. Also, we use
   Hypermail, an application that receives incoming mail and creates a
   web-accessible archive, and SWISH-E together to provide full-featured
   browsing and searching of the large electronic discussion lists Web4Lib
   and PubLib.

   But unless the OSS application is a well-developed and stand-alone
   application such as the Apache web server, use of OSS will mostly occur
   in large libraries (of all types) that are more likely to have staff
   who can install and maintain the software.

   Resources. The best site for library-specific OSS is a web site and
   listserv hosted by Chudnov, "oss4lib." More general resources are
   available from [130]http://www.opensource.org and the open source site
   from O'Reilly & Associates, a computer book publisher.

                                  LINK LIST

                                                         Apache Web Server
                                               [123]http://www.apache.org/
                                                                 Hypermail
                                   [124]http://www.landfield.com/hypermail
                                                    Open Source Definition
                                   [125]http://www.opensource.org/osd.html
                                        Open Source Digital Library System
                                    [126]http://osdls.library.arizona.edu/
        "Open Source Software: The Future of Library Systems?" LJ 8/99, p.
                                                                     40-43
                                                     O'Reilly & 
Associates
                                        [127]http://opensource.oreilly.com
                                                                   SWISH-E
                                 [128]http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/SWISH-E/