1. Proprietary vs. Free/Open Source Software
by: Brett Rowland

2. Introduction Definitions, Interdisciplinary Reach, Licensing Models
Attributes: Pros and Cons
So, what should SAs use???

3. Definitions
Proprietary software: Created by an individual or company for profit; distribution does not include source code, developer has exclusive rights. The purchaser (licensee) is given right to use software, but does not have right to modify or redistribute it.
Open source software: Software in which source code is available to end user. Users may (and are encouraged to) modify and redistribute software. Software is essentially free - support may not be free. Some restrictions may apply… prices and participation may vary…

4. Interdisciplinary Reach
This fight between proprietary vs. open source software challenges many disciplines…
Computer Science
Academia in general
Sociology
Psychology
Economics
Business
Legal

5. Licensing Models
Thomas Trappler, Director of UCLA Software Licensing states, “OSS is defined less by what the software does than what the user can do with it. One of the primary things that distinguishes OSS from PS is its licensing model.”

6. Licensing Models cont. Source code available to all
Open Source
Proprietary
Source code available to all
License terms neutral
Concise/straightforward license terms, easier compliance
Some OSS license incompatibility between different OSS products
Source code only available to vendor
License terms favor vendor
Lengthy/Complex license terms, tracking license compliance can be difficult
License terms vary widely between PS vendors

7. Attributes

8. Flexibility Customizable, limited only by in-house resources
Open Source
Proprietary
Customizable, limited only by in-house resources
Others can help modify, leading to greater good for entire OSS community
More choices = more flexibility in software, hardware, and support
Typically not too customizable
Mature PS products usually include more features
Structure products as suites; user content stored in proprietary format, making it difficult to replace the product, which leads to vendor lock-in

9. Cost No initial license fee External support fees
Open Source
Proprietary
No initial license fee
External support fees
Introduces competitive market forces leading to lower costs
In-house support is required, IT staff must learn about product’s source code
Excellent OSS community support
Initial license fee
Support is included or added with small fee
External support only through PS vendor, makes negotiating harder
In-house support possible, but more difficult without source code
Some community support

10. Cost cont.
Total cost of ownership? Depends who you ask…

11. Deployment & Maintenance
Open Source
Proprietary
Can sometimes be difficult to deploy
Modular; pieces can be switched without whole redesign; only use what you need
License management is easy
More independence; if software company goes bankrupt, community still has source code
Easy to deploy
Must get whole “package”; some unused features
License management is more difficult; risk of illegal copies and license audits
Must rely on single vendor; if company goes bankrupt the user is SOL

12. Quality OSS development not always well managed
Open Source
Proprietary
OSS development not always well managed
Who is accountable for quality? Continually peer- reviewed
ITS staff must maintain knowledge of updates and upgrades
What version updates are reliable?
Managed well by corporate entity
Employ numerous developers to look for and fix errors
Vendors provide notification of updates and upgrades
Vendor is usually the only source to get updates and upgrades for product

13. Security Open code = problems found and fixed quickly
Open Source
Proprietary
Open code = problems found and fixed quickly
Open code = ANYONE can view and look for potential exploits (including malicious attackers)
Open code = users can review and determine actual level of security of product prior to adoption
Numerous full-time employees working to ensure code is secure
Closed code = more difficult for malicious attackers to find and exploit vulnerabilities
Closed code = users cannot review and determine actual level of security of product prior to adoption

14. Other Attributes… Intellectual Property Rights Reliability
User Friendliness
Innovation
Collaboration
Competition
more…

15. So, what should SAs use?

16. Ask yourself… Do certain projects lend themselves to OSS?
Is there a problem with current software being implemented?
Can changes be made (easily)?

17. Use Both!

18. References for SAs
Google “open source solutions for system administrators” and get lists and reviews of popular OSS SAs use
Free and Open Source Enterprise Resource Planning: Systems and Strategies (Dec 2011)
Thomas Trappler (licensing)

19. References
e_v._Proprietary_Software
proprietary-software/
erlyMagazineVolum/IsThereSuchaThingasFreeSoftwar/174575
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