Computer Software and Open Source Issues: A Primer (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Dec. 17, 2003 |
| Report Number |
RL31627 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jeffrey W. Seifert, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
The use of open source software by the federal government has been gaining attention as
organizations continue to search for opportunities to enhance their information technology (IT)
operations while containing costs. For the federal government and Congress, the debate over the use
of open source software intersects several other issues, including, but not limited to, the development
of homeland security and e-government initiatives, improving government information technology
management practices, strengthening computer security, and protecting intellectual property rights.
Currently, the debate over open source software often revolves primarily around information security
and intellectual property rights. However, issues related to cost and quality are often raised as well.
Open source software refers to a computer program whose source code, or
programming
instructions, is made available to the general public to be improved or modified as the user wishes.
Some examples of open source software include the Linux operating system and Apache Web server
software. In contrast, closed source , or proprietary, programs are those whose source
code is not
made available and can only be altered by the software manufacturer. In the case of closed source
software, updates to a program are usually distributed in the form of a patch or as a new version of
the program that the user can install but not alter. Some examples of closed source software include
Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect. The majority of software products most commonly used,
such as operating systems, word processing programs, and databases, are closed source programs.
For proponents, open source software is often viewed as a means to reduce an organization's
dependence on the software products of a few companies while possibly improving the security and
stability of one's computing infrastructure. For critics, open source software is often viewed as a
threat to intellectual property rights with unproven cost and quality benefits. So far there appear to
be no systematic analyses available that have conclusively compared closed source to open source
software on the issue of security. In practice, computer security is highly dependent on how an
application is configured, maintained, and monitored. Similarly, the costs of implementing an open
source solution are dependent upon factors such as the cost of acquiring the hardware/software,
investments in training for IT personnel and end users, maintenance and support costs, and the
resources required to convert data and applications to work in the new computing environment.
Consequently, some computer experts suggest that it is not possible to conclude that either open
source or closed source software is inherently more secure or more cost efficient.
At this time there appears to be no centralized accounting of open source software throughout
the federal government. However, the growing emphasis on improved information security and
critical infrastructure protection overall, will likely be an influential factor in future decisions to
implement open source solutions. The rapidly changing computer environment may also foster the
use of a combination of open source and closed source applications, rather than creating a need to
choose one option at the exclusion of another. This report will be updated as events warrant.
