 |
Open Source, Standards and Compatibility: Software Freedom, is this a valid concept?
Posted by brunos on May 31, 2004 at 01:22 AM | Comments (3)
I have been discussing for a long time how only open source is not enough for Governments. Although open source is a strong point of freedom it allows you to end up tied to a product, what may be not as bad as being tied to a vendor, but may bring you the same types of problems, specially if you are the government. But this is true for companies also.
In November 2002, me and several others from the Java Users Society, a large Java User Group in Brazil, created a long manifesto (Portuguese only), that tried to look into the discussion on open source usage by the Brazilian Government, from the point of view of the software developed by the government, that needs to rely on Open Standards and focus to be Multiplatform. This later turned into a well reviewd article, that better explained the ideas, and even featured concrete examples of the problems that you may face when all you care about is open source. Unfortunately for the time being both of these discussions are in Portuguese. Trying to explain a long article in a few lines is not easy, but the central idea is simple: open source is very important to the government, and to do it right, the government would be better off if it developed it's own software using open source software that are based on standards, and by developing multiplatform software, as a way to minimize lock in, and as such, maximize government freedom to decide it's technological future.
Maximizing freedom is usually not easy, and some difficult strategic decisions must be made. In regards to open source, it may mean for example, that the government will not use software that runs only on windows, or only on Linux (or any single platform), no matter how much this particular product's license says it is open source.
After discussing with the government for so long, and after seeing most of this discussion accepted in some very important areas of the Brazilian Government, we learned that governments really need a broad guarantee of freedom. Their systems, applications, data and software in general have such a long life, and may have such a large impact on a country's future, that by comparison, vendors and products need to be looked at as temporary at best. Although we have defended this idea for the sake of the Brazilian Government, I think this applies to most governments, and also to most companies that somehow develop software internally: minimizing the lock in for the software you write, will pay off in the future.
Now, someone that has also be giving a lot of though about this discussions, has come up with a name for this broad guarantee of freedom: Software Freedom.
In his recent blog, Simon Phipps explains that Software Freedom is more then the freedom for developers (that is guaranteed by open source), it needs to also guarantee freedom for users (deployers) and vendors. Simon calls for a combination of open source, standards and compatibility to guarantee Software Freedom. Although he has named it, and written a kind of manifesto, I think that the Sincere Choice movement has similar views, although they do not mention certification explicitly as Simon does.
At first, this seems quite a task. How can you guarantee freedom to the developer, if you tie him with standards and compatibility requirements? How can you guarantee freedom for the deployer if you cannot restrict what developers can do? How you can innovate if you tie up your own hands trough standards? Hard questions. Can they be answered? Are those things so contradictory that we cannot guarantee all types of freedom at once?
In the Brazilian Government discussion, we are proposing ways to to that based on policies. That is, software developed by the government has to use standards if they are available, and if not, standards need to be either chosen or defined. It has to run in multiple platforms, no matter what technology or language you use to develop it. And open source implementations of those standards will be the ones that will provide greater freedom, and as such should be chosen if available. Is this enough? Probably not. But it is a good start.
From a first look, it seems that guaranteeing Software Freedom is not something that could be done by licenses only. And there are other important matters like Royalty Free standards and patents policies that would probably play a role in the discussion (but this would extend a lot this blog...).
I hope this idea is something that the community at large sees as important. I certainly agree with Simon and his Software Freedom Manifest, and from my experiences with government and companies, I agree that something must be done to guarantee other perspectives of freedom that not only the developer's freedom.
Of course, this has a large impact on Java.. The Java Community is largelly in favor of certification and compatibility, and this is said to be one of the main reasons why Sun refrains from releasing it's Java implementation as open source. Would Simon's blog be an indication that there can be ways of open sourcing Java that maintain compatibility? Can this be accepted by the open source community? Although I myself think that no matter what Sun does, we should create and support an open source implementation of Java, like a combination of Kaffe and Classpath for instance, I also do value compatibility more then "open source just to be open source". And I think that Simon's proposition could be one that we, as a joint Java-Open Source community, should look and discuss open minded.
Fortunatelly, Simon will be in Brazil this week for the 5th International Free Software Meeting, and I will have a premium chance to discuss with him this ideas. Hopefully, we can have an open discussion with both the free software community members and the Java community members present at this large event, and understand if this can lead us anywere.
Bookmark blog post:  del.icio.us  Digg  DZone  Furl  Reddit
Comments
Comments are listed in date ascending order (oldest first) | Post Comment
-
Software Freedom - really needed?
Can anyone think of any examples of major popular Libre-licensed software projects which don't follow established open standards as well as or better than proprietary competitors?
Posted by: philwebster on June 05, 2004 at 03:52 PM
-
Software Freedom - really needed?
I can think of some, but this is not the point here. In fact, the vast majority of open source projects and developers are really very concerned in implementing open standards and interoperable software. This is one reason why open source software is so important and successfull. I agee with you that "major popular Libre-licensed software" are almost always following stablished open standards.
But the point here is different. Is open source enough? Since we're talking about governments promoting and asking for free software, and many times using "preference laws", can this be used by companies and developers to lock the government in? Is simply "use any GPL licensed software" enough, or even the correct way to governments to achieve their freedom of choice?
Because you, me and the vast majority of open source community can always follow the best intent. But if some company decides to use that against the government, can they do it? Or will the GPL license be enough to protect govenrments and companies from lock in? I believe this will not be enough.
Posted by: brunos on June 07, 2004 at 07:10 AM
-
17 tahun .com
17 tahun ke atas
17tahun blog spot
17tahun blogspot
17tahun.co.nr
18galls
7sese
\"17 tahun\"
\"99bb.com\"
\"kudurdum.com\"
\"lay the kat\"
\"sexviet\"
\"tamilsex.com\"
\"topvagina.com\"
\"twistys.com\"
abby winters gallery
adel nubiles
agnes monica bugil
agnes monica telanjang
aimanku seram
alfasex
alisonangel
alldatazz
alma chua
am yalama
amateurpage.com
angelita feijo playboy
angelita feijó playboy
anime dickgirls
anna song asian4you
anusexy
arabtgp
arabxxx
asian4u ling
asian4you hsu chi idol
asian4you jennifer lee
asian4you亚洲图
askoyunu
assparade
assparade password
atkgalleria
auto volam
autominers for runescape
avizoon iran
ayu ashari
ayumi oki creamasia
baby dorki
banyo filmi
barbi giydirme
barbie giydirme
battlefield 2 aimbot
bedava pornolar
bestality
blogdasgalinhas
boroka nubiles
boyfuckmom
bucetas abertas
cake mania crack keygen
carla giraldo desnuda
carla giraldo fotos
cerebro keys
cerita 18sx.invisioni.com
cerita bogel
cerita melayu
cerita seks sedarah
cerita18sx invisioni
cerita18sx.invisioni
ceritaseru
ceritasex
cewek
cewek telanjang
child supermodels
chillporn
chiloan
chinesesex
chudai
cod2 wallhack
coithienthai truyennguoilon
cs 1.6 hacks
dai truyen hinh vtv3
danchimviet
dar amlar
datviet
didem keys
divx indir
doc truyen nguoi lon
dogcum.com
elantro.cl
elweb bbs
entiti hantu indonesia
erika ftv
evelyn lory
farida asian4you
femalesex
femjoy video
film indir
film izle
film seyret
firikik
fish tycoon serial
fodas gostosas
forum bebas yolanda aku
foto agnes monica telanjang
foto bugil
foto hantu seram
foto telanjang
foto tiara lestari telanjang
fotos de homens pelados
fotos de mulher pelada
free runescape autominer
free sextv1
free tamilsex stories
free twistys
freelolita
freepornclips
freesexnet
freesexpicture
freesexyindians
freevideos.com
ftv carli
fuckmyblackpussy
gadis bandung.com
gadis berahi
gadis bertudung
gadis binal
gadis bugil
gadis melayu
gadis mojokerto
gadis-melayu-bogel@yahoogroups.com
galitsin
galitsin liza
gambar bogel
gambar hantu langsuir
gambar lancap
gambar linda rafar kru
gambar seks
gambar telanjang
garotas gostosas
gatas lindas
gay torrent
gay torrents
ghairah
ghost recon advanced warfighter serial
girlssexy
givemepink password
giysi giydirme oyunları
gordas gostosas
gordas nuas
grannybed
gratispornofilm
graw serial
greenguy link
greenguy links
grup hepsi
gruphepsi
gunz online hacks
hacks for maple story
hadise
hadise resim
hadise resimler
haitac.com
halo aimbot
hantu seram
hayal evi
hental
hepsi grubunun resimleri
hepsİ grubu
hikaye
hikayeler
how to hack runescape
human hermaphodite pics
ilahi mp3
ilmaista musiikkia
inbedwithfaith
indexlolita
indonesia porn
indonesia sex
inside twistys
iranxiran ir3x persian
ivana fukalot videos
jacobstales.com
jana princessa
kaila wang
kakisex.com
kamaleelai
kamalog stories
kamalogam
kamsutra
karal oyun
kathy liu a4u
kekili
keralaerotica stories.com
keys nagra
kiemhiep
kiki amalia fhm
kisah berahi
koleksi cerita lucah
kontol memek
kral oyunlar
kraloyunlari
kız giydirme oyunları
ladyboy areeya
lalat indonesia
lalatx com yang
lesbean
lewww
liseli lolitalar
liseli resim
liza galitsin
lo mas fuerte.com
loli tgp
lolitabbs
lolitadolls.com
lolitas bbs
lolitasex
lolitave
lolitis
lollita
ls-magazine
machos nus
masala porn
masalatalk
maturefarm
mekiep.com
melayubogel
melayuboleh.com
memek daun muda
meninas nuas
mijadas
milena velba
milf cruiser vanessa
milfriders
milly moris
minigirls biz
momfuckingson
mujeres gordas
mulheres peladas
mulheres sensuais
nagra key
nagravision 2
nancy ho pics hong kong
nasha aziz telanjang
naughty pinaycelebs scandal
new reflexive keygen
newsexy
nguoilon
nhac che
nia ramadhani telanjang
nifetas
nn preteen
nozomi kurahashi rika nishimura
nublies
nudebollywood
nymphet
nymphet land
oktay usta
oktay usta yemek tarifleri
pedo links
pedo star
pes5 serial
petchara a4u
phimnguoilon
playtoy lolly
playtoy sparkle
pokemonx
porna
porno89
pornofilimler
pornoresim
porrposten
postyourgirls
pozycje erotyczne
pozycje seksualne
preteen nymphets
preteen.com
primasutra
pronstar
pure dee
r@ygold
rapidshare search
ratu felisha
rdi satellite keys
reallola
resim
resimler
revista soho colombia
revistasgratis.ws
rumah tumpangan
runescape auto typer
runescape cheats
runescape hack
runescape stat changer
russiansex.com
saija ketola
sat key
scanlover
schoolgirlsex
seks hikayeleri
serial malwarewipe 4.1
sex melayu
sex22
sexarab
sexass
sexchina
sexindia
sexindonesia
sexlove
sexmom
sexobizarro
sexschool.com
sexsi
sexsy
sextv1 free
sexvidio
sexviet free
sexvietnam
shylolita
sibel kekilli
skandal melayu
sleeping assault
snuffx
soho carla giraldo
solo gatitas.com
sonfuckmom
sontalaatikko
sprośne galerie
sqirt
star oyunlari
steve hooper
streetmeatasia
sweet yurizan
tamansex.com
tamil porn
tamil sex
tamilsex sites barnesville
tante girang jakarta
telugusexstories
tiara lestari bugil
tinhduc.com
tiny tove
titan quest keygen
titanime
toybox oyunları
tps key
trehoangdai
truyen nguoi lon dam
truyen nguoi lon tren viet
truyen viet.com
truyen.com.vn
türk travestiler
universomail.com
urdusex stories
uydu izle
video de luly bosa
video lucah uitm
video luly bosa
videobollenti
videos chistosos
videos de gordas
videoxxx
vietfun
vietsex
vipsets
vombat bbs
vuonmongmo com vietnamese
vuonongbuom
w w w sextv1.tv
wahoothumbs
wifey movies
wifey video
wifey videos
wifey world
www 17 tahun.com
www.17tahun.com
www.amateurpage.com
www.buffythebody.com
www.carla giraldo.com
www.clubedosdesocupados.com.br
www.dewasa.tk.com
www.elantro.cl
www.happy tree friends.com
www.kopasus.org
www.mp3evi.com.tr
www.natiga.com.eg
www.preteen.com
www.revistasgratis.com
www.russiansex.com
www.sexschool.com
www.teylo
www.tialia.com.vn
www.vietnam.net
www.wisin y yandel.com
www.xxxindonesia.com
xnxx
xoxota
yerliporno
zonfire
zoofuck
آویزون
รูปโป๊
Posted by: popkin on May 19, 2007 at 01:41 AM
|
java.net RSS Feeds
