The Emergence of Open-Source Software in China

The open-source software movement is gaining increasing momentum in China. Of the limited numbers of open-source software in China, Red Flag Linux stands out most strikingly, commanding 30 percent share of Chinese software market. Unlike the spontaneity of open-source movement in North America, open-source software development in China, such as Red Flag Linux, is an orchestrated activity wherein different levels of government play a vital role in sponsoring, incubating, and using open-source software, most conspicuously, Red Flag Linux. While there are no reports on open-source course management system in China, there are reports on the study and use of Western open-source course management systems for instruction and learning in Chinese higher education institutions. This paper discusses the current status of open-source software in China, including open-source course management software and associated tools and resources. Importantly, it describes the development model of Red Flag Linux, the most successful open-source software initiative in China. In addition, it explores the possibility of Chinese higher education institutions joining efforts to develop China’s own open-source course management system using the open-source development model established in North America. A timeline of major open-source projects of significance underway in China is provided. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential for applying the open-source software development model to open and distance education in China.

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The Emergence of Open-Source Software in North America

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning ◽

10.19173/irrodl.v8i3.496 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guohua Pan ◽

Curtis J. Bonk

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Software Development ◽

Open Source ◽

Open Source Software ◽

Source Model ◽

Development Model ◽

Management Systems ◽

Course Management Systems ◽

Open Source Software Development ◽

Software Development Model

Unlike conventional models of software development, the open source model is based on the collaborative efforts of users who are also co-developers of the software. Interest in open source software has grown exponentially in recent years. A Google search for the phrase open source in early 2005 returned 28.8 million webpage hits, while less than two years later that number had jumped to 376 million. This paper discusses the origin of the term open source and the key tenets of the open source software development model. In addition, it analyzes the merits and drawbacks of using this model and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of applying the model in higher education. Importantly, examples are provided of computer software, and course management systems in particular, developed using the open source model. Also included are brief analyses of the Linux operating system, and two open source course management systems, Sakai and Moodle, as well as the uPortal. A timeline of major open source projects of significance in North America is provided. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential for applying the open source software development model to open and distance education.

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Open Source Software Development Model

Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, First Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-553-5.ch391 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 2221-2224 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luyin Zhao ◽

Fadi P. Deek

Keyword(s):

Software Development ◽

Open Source ◽

Open Source Software ◽

Free Software ◽

Development Model ◽

Software Systems ◽

Software System ◽

Software Development Model ◽

Hacker Culture ◽

Free Software Foundation

The open source movement can be traced back to the hacker culture in the ’60s and ’70s. In the early 1980s, the tenet of free software for sharing was explicitly raised by Richard Stallman, who was working on developing software systems and invited others to share, contribute, and give back to the community of cooperative hackers. Stallman, together with other volunteers, established the Free Software Foundation to host GNU (Gnu’s Not Unix, a set of UNIX-compatible software system). Eric Raymond, Stallman’s collaborator, is the primary founder of the Open Source Initiative. Both communities are considered the principal drivers of open source movement.

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Firms' Resource Deployment and Project Leadership in Open Source Software Development

International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management ◽

10.1142/s0219877015500108 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (02) ◽

pp. 1550010 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mario Schaarschmidt ◽

Harald Von Kortzfleisch

Keyword(s):

Software Development ◽

Open Source ◽

Empirical Evidence ◽

Open Source Software ◽

Open Innovation ◽

Development Model ◽

Innovation Activity ◽

Project Leadership ◽

Data Set ◽

Resource Deployment

When using the open source software (OSS), development model firms face the challenge to balance the tension between the integration of knowledge from external individuals and the desire for control. In our investigation, we draw upon a data set consisting of 109 projects with 912 individual programmers and 110 involved firms and show how those different projects are governed in terms of project leadership. Our four hypotheses show that despite the wish for external knowledge from voluntary programmers firms are relying on own resources or those from other firms to control a project, that projects with low firm participation are mainly led by voluntary committers, and that projects with high firm participation are mainly led by paid leaders. This research extends the dominating literature by providing empirical evidence in that area and helps to deepen our understanding of firm participation in OSS projects as a form of open innovation activity.

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