OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
21ST CENTURTY TECHNOLOGY
by
Cindy Migliaccio
A Research Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Education
REGIS UNIVERSITY
February 26, 2011
EDTC 605 Multimedia Course
Instructor: Patricia McConaghy - White
INTRODUCTION
According to Webopedia Open source software generically, open source refers to
a program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/ or
modification from its original design free of charge, i.e. open. (Webopedia, 2001) Open
source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve
upon the code and share the changes within the community.” (Open Source Initiative OSI
– Plan 9 licensing agreements describes the terms to be considered OSI. (OSI, 2010).
The major players to include on the top list of open source software leaders would
include: Linux, Open Office, Moodle, Audacity, and Firefox. Webopedia also states a
certification standard issued that the source code of a computer program is made
available free of charge to the general public. The term describes practices in production
and development that promote access to the end product’s source materials. (Wikipedia,
2011). Traditionally one would not incorporate Wikipedia as a source, yet Wikipedia is
an open source site for all to use so in this paper it is considered appropriate.
Certain criteria must be to be considered Open Source Open Source? The criterion
is as follows: 1. The program must be freely distributed, 2. Source code must be
included, 3. Anyone must be allowed to modify the source code, 4. Modified versions can
be redistributed, & 5. The license must not require the exclusion of other or interfere with
the operation of other software. (How Stuff Works, 2011) According to most software
that you buy and or download come compiled ready-to- run version. The actual source
code has, has run through a compiler that translates the form into a version that the
computer can understand. (How stuff Works, 2011) If one person wanted to compile the
code exactly how the developer did then it would be almost impossible and this is how
many commercial software companies hold the lock and key to the product unless
someone is willing to pay for it. Open source is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The
source code is included with the compiled version and modification or customization is
encourage with the version in hopes that it will be modified to become more useful in the
long run.
PHILOSOPHY BEHIND OPEN SOURCE
The term open source is considered a philosophy due to the ability to use and
recode another code for the better of man. Open Source Philosophy is an on going
experiment with the windows open. **** (OS Site, 2011). The language of “Open
Source” emerged from the Free Software Movement. Anyone who is unfamiliar with
Open Source movement might want to look at The Free Foundation, the Creative
Commons, and MIT’s Open Courseware are just a few projects to learn about to enhance
the understanding of Open Source. (OS Cite, 2001). In the world of software, the Open
Source movement has successfully challenged traditional ways of thinking. (Hingo,
2011).
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
The history of open source software is said that in the beginning, there was only
free (libre) software. (Deek & McHugh, 2008). Later on, proprietary software was born,
and it quickly dominated the software landscape, to the point that many knowledgeable
people today consider it as the only possible model. Only recently has the software
industry considered open source as an option again. (EU.conecta 1998). In the 1970’s and
early 1980’s, two different groups were establishing the roots of the current open source
software movement. On the East coast, Richard Stallman, formerly a programmer at the
MIT AI Lab, resigned, and launched the GNU project and the “Free Software Foundation”
(Ed Online, 2004).
The Underlying GNU Project was launched in 1983 by again Richard Stallman originally
to develop a Unix -Compatible system called GNU. Ed Online, 2004). Living Internet
Linux Torvalds invented Linux itself in 1991, Tarvalds a student at the University of
Helsinki in Finland where he had started using Minix, a non - free Unix-like system, and
began writing his own kernel. Linux is the first truly free Unix-like operating system. He
started by developing device drivers and hard drive access later combining this GNU with
Linux to create a complete free operating system in 1991. (Barahona, 200).
Over time legal and proprietary issues associated with Unix opened the door for
Linux as the true Open Source. The Linux operating system, which became the flagship
open source project, evolved out of simple port of Unix to a personal computer
environment, but it burgeoned rapidly into the centerpiece project of the movement. (Deek
& McHugh, 2008.)
PROS AND CONS OF OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
Some of the disadvantages of Open Source Software for some professionals are
that the free software is not accredited. For example, if a structural engineer teaching in a
college setting were to download some free calculating software and use it, the client
might include in the contract that they do not want any open source software used on the
project research and development because no one company could be held accountable. In
K-12 educational settings teachers especially need to educate students that free software
is free and it needs to be viewed and analyzed by the teacher first. On the other hand the
bottom line is that open source is free and the comes with source code is only going to be
more valuable as The United States continues to slash funding for free public education.
From the viewpoint of distributed collaboration and open source development, the
invention and development of Unix illustrates the substantial benefits that can accrue
from open development, as well as the disadvantages for innovation that can arise from
proprietary restrictions in licensing. Deek & McHugh, 2008).
Open source programs such as Obuntu are prepackaged as an entire office suite.
Other Open Source programs are simply specific programs. Depending on the need for
the specific product one can get confused with Open Source and Free Source. Free source
is software that can be seen as a movement where Open Source can be thought more of
logistics both share and have many features in common.
Social Constructivism
Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and Developmental Crisis deals with the idea
that the distance between the child’s actual developmental level as determined by actual
independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined
through independent problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more
capable peers. (Jeng-Yin Tim Hsu, 2009) Vygotsky viewed social interaction as essential
as the development of individual functioning. (Schneider & Wilkins, 1996) For Vygotsky
the social interaction is a source of stimulation and feedback. According to Vygotsky’s
educational theory of “constructivism” or socio-cultural learning & resources of
knowledge and skill are brought to a situation and depend upon experiences within their
culture and stage of human development. (Henry, 2008). To now look at education in an
ordinary social classroom teaching style, we can now provide teachers and students
choices from a an arrangement of learning teaching tools that can improve on a basic
teacher lecture style. One can embrace this social, more constructivist philosophy to
teaching in the 21st century. One can look at the idea that the development of Open
Source was created and made to be what it is today based on a constructivist approach
even though technology was different for Vygotsky in his time.
Open Source References
Computer How Stuff Works. (n.d.). OPerating Systems. In What does Open Source Mean?
[Criteria of Open Source]. Retrieved 2011, from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/
question435.htm
Deek, F. P., & McHugh, J. A. (n.d.). Tech & Policy. In Cambridge Press (Ed.), Open Source (p.
20). (Original work published 2008). Retrieved from
http://library.books24x7.com.dml.regis.edu/book/id_13906/
viewer.asp?bookid=13906&chunkid=0425868915
Gonzalez-Barahona, J. M. (2000, April 4). Free Software. In A Brief History of OpJesusen
Source Software [What Open Source is]. Retrieved from euconecta website:
http://eu.conecta.it/paper/brief_history_open_source.html
Hingo. (2011, February 27). Open Life Blog [Web log post]. Retrieved from Open Life.cc:
http://www.openlife.cc/blog
Open Source. (n.d.). Open Source ( after home) [Open Source Initiative]. Retrieved 2011, from
Internet.com website: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/O/open_source.html
OPen Source Education [How Open Source is Generated ]. (n.d.). Retrieved 1998, from Creative
Commons database.
Thirteen Ed Online. (2004). Constructivism as a Paradigm to the Classroom. In What Are Some
Critical Perspectives (resources) [Concept To Classroom]. Retrieved 2004, from Thirteen
Ed Online website: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/resources.html