Case Study 2: The Emergence of Open Source Software (Valacich & Schneider, 2014)
a) What are the pros and cons of having so much open source software enabling the Internet?
Pros
Developers don’t have to create from scratch they can use the massive open source library of software to get started.
Developers can create a reputation and gain experience though working on open source projects.
Open source projects can provide good feedback to developers on the quality of their code.
Developers can collaborate without worrying about things like ownership and intellectual property.
Cons
Developers lose control of their software.
Others can fork your code and create a competing product.
Because your code is open every flaw is visible to the entire world.
b) For what types of applications do you think open source is better than non-open source software? When is it worse?
For community service like WordPress or government applications open source is better than non-opne one because it permit the user to fix the bugs and other mistakes. In contrast, non-opeen sofware is much better for creator with financial purpose because software is the own assests and intangible. it also prevents other from steal and change the program
c) Find a for-profit company that is distributing open source software. What is the software? How does the company make money? Is its revenue model sustainable?
I just find out the Red Hat company which is a global leader in open source software solutions — and has a clear strategy in how to generate revenue. They package the popular open source operating system Linux as Red Hat Enterprise Linux and deliver it to enterprises with a promise of 10 years of support. Open source projects like Linux can literally change every day. They make the power of the open source development model consumable for the enterprise in the way they’re used to consuming software. They have engineering teams that track every single change — a bug fix, security enhancement, or whatever — made to Linux, and ensure our customers’ mission-critical systems remain up-to-date and stable. And I think its revenue model is sustainable
d) Do you use any open source software on your personal computer, such as the Linux OS or the Firefox browser? Why or why not?
I used to use the Firefox to access the Internet and I just used what they provide
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