Introduction to FOSS

Lalith Suresh PMNIT Campus AmbassadorCampus Ambassador ProgramSun Microsystems, Inc.

Lalith.Suresh@sun.comblogs.sun.com/lalith

“The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place..”

- George Bernard Shaw

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Agenda

An Insight of

• How is the world changing?

• Evolution of Software

• What is Open Source?

• What's in it for you?

• Why the move to open source

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Yesterday...

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And today...

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The information age was unidirectional

Data CenterApplication

Edge

Client

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NOT ANYMORE!!!

ENTER THE AGE OF PARTICIPATION!!!

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New Age Means Change!

Information Age Participation Age

Security

Software

Pricing

CustomerEngagement

Development

Closed Silos

Monolithic Systems

CPU/Arbitrary Based

Monitor/React

Single Source

Digital Identity

Service Oriented

Value-Based Pricing

Conversation

Open Source

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How did software evolve?

✼ Software was once free

✼ People considered hacking as a hobby, and freely exchanged 

code.

✼ Then Bill Gates wrote a famous letter to these hobbyists 

accusing them of stealing software!

✼ He wanted to make it a commodity which could be used to 

generate profit.

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A penny for your thoughts...

✼ Physical items cost something because once you give it to 

someone else, it's no longer with you.

✼ Are ideas, thoughts and ultimately software the same?

✼ Do you pay your college for sharing knowledge or for 

providing you infrastructure and facilities?

✼ Should ideas be patented or should it be shared?

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What is Open Source?

1. Free Redistribution of Code2. Source Code Available3. Allows Derived Works4. Allows Integrity of Author's Source Code5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavour7. Distribution of License with Code8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product9. License Must Not Restrict Other Software10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral

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What is Free Software?

✼ Freedom to run the software according your needs

✼ Freedom to browse the source code and make changes as 

you please

✼ Freedom to distribute software

✼ Freedom to make your changes available for others to use

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Big deal? So what if it's free?

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Still not satisfied? How about...✼ An amazing, community driven way of writing high quality 

software

✼ A collaboration of hundreds of people from all over the world

✼ Since you don't need a degree to contribute, it's an 

opportunity for intelligent developers even if they aren't 

employed!

✼ And the cost...?

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Free software is the next big thing...

✼ Close to 90% of the top 500 companies in the world run the 

Linux Operating System.

✼ Free software is always within reach thanks to the internet.

✼ Free software often outperforms it's proprietary 

counterparts.

✼ Free software is here to stay :)

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Open Source licensing

Non-restrictive Licenses

“Attribution” licenses

Fewest requirements, unrestricted scope of use.

Unrestricted development of derived works

Examples: Apache: JXTABSD: Sun Labs (various)

File-Based Licenses

Community fostering licenses

Files derived from common files must be shared with the commons.

Other derived works may be licensed in any manner.

Examples:CDDL: OpenSolaris, JavaEE / Glassfish, NetBeans

Project Based Licenses

Project fostering licenses

Most requirements: seeks to propagate open source.

All work (including derived works) must be shared with the commons.

Examples: GPL: OpenSPARC, Project Looking GlassLGPL: OpenOffice

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What's in it for me?✼ As students, access to the source code means you learn more 

about how software works the way it works.

✼ You get to modify source code and experiment. Who knows? 

A change you make may benefit everyone.

✼ Change the way you write code, for the best.

✼ You understand how an OS and compilers work.

✼ The list is endless...

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Giving back to the community...

✼ Either contribute part time...

✼ Or contribute full time (paid workers of companies)...

✼ I think you already know who falls in the first category...

✼ If you don't, then let me tell you...

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IT'S YOU!!!

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How to contribute✼ Write patches, fix bugs for different projects and contribute 

code.

✼ Start your own open source project!

✼ Triage bugs for different projects

✼ Contribute art work

✼ Test software on your platforms and share your results

✼ Visit forums, ask questions and answer them if possible

✼ PARTICIPATE!!!

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Why the move to open source?

✼ We have a vibrant ecosystem where everyone is playing an 

active part

✼ There are no layers between the developers of a project and 

the customers and no hassle of customer care centers :)

✼ Hence, we have a better service quality

✼ No lock­ins, no lock­outs

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Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

Where knowledge is free

Where words come out from the depth of the mind

Into that heaven of freedom, let my country awake.

­ Rabindranath Tagore

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Questions?Questions?

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Connect with the MNIT Open Source User Mesh and 500+ other 

OSUMs @

osum.sun.com/group/mosum

Also contact MOSUM at

groups.google.com/group/m­osum

Introduction to FOSS

Lalith Suresh PMNIT Campus AmbassadorCampus Ambassador ProgramSun Microsystems, Inc.

Lalith.Suresh@sun.comblogs.sun.com/lalith