The principles and practices that are commonly applied to the system of community-based production for the development of source code for software that is made available for public collaboration and use. The result of this peer-based collaboration is usually released as open-source software.

Sometimes commercial businesses release one product with an open source model to enlist the users in creating and testing the final product.

Open Source for Educators Geoff Cain, M.S. Tacoma Community College

The Software Problem Cost Licensing Support Upgrades Who Pays?

What is “Open Source?” OLD MODEL NEW MODEL Built by a Company Need from Company Companies Sells Product Companies Create Demand Product Slowly Evolves Created by Everyone Need Evolves from Use Product is Free Companies Sell Services Updated by Users

For Example… Operating systems Linux Free BSD Ubuntu (User Friendly) Server Software Content Management Systems Drupal Learning Management Systems Moodle Office Suites Open Office NeoOffice Camtasia/Jing

Why Use It? Free for the Students Free for the College Teachers Can be More Creative Expand Assignments Encourage Multimodal Teaching

Ups and Downs Good News Bad News Free Responsive to Change Frequent Updates Tailored to Needs of Community Rather Than the Dictates of the Market Works in Progress Cost of Ownership No One Responsible/Blame Authorship Disappears Disorganized Hard to Adopt Institutionally

Why Isn’t Everything Like This? Education Media News Hardware Phones Computers Televisions

Where Do We Find It? School Forge Open Source Alternative to Commercial Software Source Forge Open Source Software Open Source Software for Educators Open Education Disc

Further Investigations The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond The Open Source Initiative website Why Open Source Software? By David A. Wheeler Open Source Textbooks – COSTP WA Open Educational Resources – Cable Green