Nothing gets dedicated techies hotter under the collar than a discussion about Microsoft’s software monopoly. Another subject that will get them talking is open-source software.
Open-source is the antithesis of what Microsoft and other companies have been pursuing over the years. It’s a revolutionary movement that ensures computer programs, such as word processors, can be used by anyone, shared with others and modified and redistributed at no cost.
It’s the vision of the technological world that the founders of the Internet had in mind. In fact, the Internet itself is one big, fat, free, open-source project.
Mark Shuttleworth, information technology (IT) billionaire and Africa’s first astronaut, is so passionate about the open-source movement that he says it could rocket South Africa into the future: “We are on the cusp of a new era. This is the future of IT.”
So what’s going on here? On the one hand, you have an IT billionaire with a self-confessed “capitalist streak” who made his money, lots of it, on the free market. On the other hand, he is advocating a policy that means software can be given away for free.
“I have a peculiarly capitalist streak, and am very much an open-source software advocate,” Shuttleworth says.
“Open-source software is built on the same fundamental property rights, and intellectual property rights, as proprietary software.
“These tools are copyrighted by the authors, and simply licensed under terms that are new and innovative. I believe that these licensing terms will come to dominate the industry, so for me this is about backing a winning strategy.”
Shuttleworth reckons the open-source movement is “one of the best-kept secrets in the IT world”, and this is why he is throwing his weight behind it. His “Go Open Source” campaign has released Open CD, containing open-source software that could replace many of the programs found on your Windows PC.
CD owners are encouraged to “make copies of this CD and distribute it yourself, lend your CD to family and friends” — not a message you would see on a CD carrying Microsoft Windows.
Open-source philosophers maintain that free software is not about the price, but about the freedom and ability of users to own their own data and not be dominated by a small group of market players. They point to science — the ultimate of open-source projects — and say the process of scientific discovery was served by sharing information. Computer software, they say, is no different to this.
Shuttleworth has personally experienced the benefits of using open-source software, but also sees the potential for developing countries to use open-source software to put themselves ahead of the pack. He says open-source software is critical to the development of such countries because the flow of information is not limited by the affordability of software.
“I’ve been very lucky to discover some of these tools and use them to my advantage, and now I would very much like for others to have the same opportunity,” he says.
At the launch of the Open Source Centre at the Mogalakwena HP i-community centre in Limpopo last week, Shuttleworth emphasised that if South Africa is to improve the lives of its people and focus on skills development, open-source is the key.
Developing countries using open-source software can better adapt programs to suit local conditions. This is because they can change the inner workings of the programs, known as the source code.
A Web browser with instructions in Sepedi and Afrikaans makes technology accessible to local communities. And, if a programme is in a local language, there is a greater chance others in the local community will understand it and pass on knowledge.
It appears the South African government and Shuttleworth are reading from the same word processor. He says the government has formulated a policy ensuring that open-source software is the preferred option for government use, recognising the pivotal role of open-source in economic development and skills creation.
Open-source isn’t only about computer programs, says Shuttleworth.
“Right now the open-source movement really defines itself in terms of software. There are efforts under way to bring similar concepts to other areas of publishing, such as books and music.
“And I believe that in due course the trend will spread to other, unrelated sectors,” he says.
Shuttleworth emphasises that this isn’t an “open-source versus Micro-soft” project. But companies such as Microsoft will need to adapt.
“I’m sure they will address this one fully in due course. I believe that open-source software will become the default for new computers, but that doesn’t mean there is no room for a company like Microsoft, if they adapt quickly enough,” he says.
Web guide
Open Source: www.go-opensource.org
Shuttleworth Foundation: www.shuttleworthfoundation.org