Open source notes and resources
From LLN
Open source notes and resources
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Does your library use open source software? Probably. Consider Apache, Firefox, Linux, WordPress...not to mention library-specific software. LLN runs on MediaWiki, which is open source software.
Should your library explicitly support open source and use such software as much as possible? That's a question only you can answer; the goal here is to help you explore the possibilities and become better informed.
Starting out
The Open source Category page guides you to the range of PLN articles on open source. Start with Why look at open source now? and continue on from there. This page notes a few of the many worthwhile articles elsewhere, offers a couple of definitions, and links to some other resources you might find useful. You're invited to add other links and article summaries.
Definitions
The short version
Why look at open source now? provides this short definition, taken from Wikipedia in August 2007:
- Open source software is computer software whose source code is available under a license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form. It is often developed in a public, collaborative manner.
The open source definition (from The Open Source Initiative)
This definition was submitted by Ken Coar on July 7, 2007 and downloaded from the original on April 10, 2008.
Introduction
Open source doesn't just mean access to the source code. The distribution terms of open-source software must comply with the following criteria:
- Free Redistribution
The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale. - Source Code
The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well as compiled form. Where some form of a product is not distributed with source code, there must be a well-publicized means of obtaining the source code for no more than a reasonable reproduction cost preferably, downloading via the Internet without charge. The source code must be the preferred form in which a programmer would modify the program. Deliberately obfuscated source code is not allowed. Intermediate forms such as the output of a preprocessor or translator are not allowed. - Derived Works
The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software. - Integrity of The Author's Source Code
The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form only if the license allows the distribution of "patch files" with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original software. - No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons. - No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research. - Distribution of License
The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties. - License Must Not Be Specific to a Product
The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a particular software distribution. If the program is extracted from that distribution and used or distributed within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the original software distribution. - License Must Not Restrict Other Software
The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs distributed on the same medium must be open-source software. - License Must Be Technology-Neutral
No provision of the license may be predicated on any individual technology or style of interface.
An annotated version of the definition provides brief rationales for each clause.
FLOSS or F/OSS
These terms refer to a larger community, including not only open source software but also free (libre) software, an overlapping but not identical community.
As checked in April 2008, Wikipedia defines FLOSS as follows:
- Free and open source software, also F/OSS, FOSS, or FLOSS (for Free/Libre/Open Source Software) is software which is liberally licensed to grant the right of users to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code. This approach has gained both momentum and acceptance as the potential benefits have been increasingly recognized by both individuals and corporate players.[1][2]
- 'F/OSS' is an inclusive term generally synonymous with both free software and open source software which describe similar development models, but with differing cultures and philosophies. 'Free software' focuses on the philosophical freedoms it gives to users and 'open source' focuses on the perceived strengths of its peer-to-peer development model. However many people relate to both aspects and so 'F/OSS' is a term that can be used without particular bias towards either camp.
Articles at WebJunction
The Open Source Alternative links to eight articles on open *source for libraries--what open source is and half a dozen examples of its use in libraries for public access computing, integrated library systems and virtual reference service. Check WebJunction for the case studies.
Open source library systems: Getting started
This article by Dan Chudnov dates back to 1999 (it originally appeared in "significantly edited" form in Library Journal) and is still worth reading. You may not have known that open source has been around and active for that long. Chudnov offers a detailed introduction and eloquent advocacy for using, creating and supporting open source software within libraries. His conclusion:
- An argument I have already heard against these ideas is based on experience: "We tried building our own OPAC in the eighties--it was an impossible project and we gave it up after a few years because it just cost too much." In 1999, however, we know that the internet has changed the landscape. Because it is so very easy to share ideas and software and code using the internet, software developers have already found that the old way of doing things--particularly building monolithic homegrown systems in our own institutions--makes no sense anymore. As the open source vision and culture continue to mature, librarians would be remiss not to find our profession playing a major role in that culture. For all we have done so far, our online systems are not good enough yet. We can do better.
Open source application primer
Eric Lease Morgan provides this "thorough, rather technical introduction to the nuts and bolts of open source computing." The article (from October 13, 2003) describes some key open source applications, including some of those particularly useful in libraries.
Software described includes Apache ("the most popular Web (HTTP) server on the Internet"), CVS (Concurrent Versions System, "the way open source software is shared by developers"), GNU (a language and family of tools operating under a somewhat different software standard), Hypermail, Koha (one of the first open source integrated library systems), MARC::Record ("the Perl module to use when reading and writing MARC records"), MyLibrary, MySQL, Perl itself, swish-e ("an uncomplicated indexer/search engine") and more.
Open source public workstations in libraries: a brief review
- By Walt Crawford. Excerpted and adapted from an April 25, 2009 post at Walt at random.
ALA Publishing sent me a copy of the April 2009 Library Technology Reports (v. 45:3), “Open Source Public Workstations in Libraries,” by John Houser–who, until recently, was Senior Technology Consultant at PALINET and handled the technology side of what’s now the Library Leadership Network.
Here’s the abstract:
- In a time where an economic downturn and concerns about climate change are influencing decisions, many libraries are looking for ways to save money and to reduce their impact on the environment. This report provides detailed information about the operating systems, software, and approaches used by three libraries and one academic institution that have implemented open source public workstations. It explains how open source operating systems and applications, when installed on appropriate hardware, can decrease power utilization while providing a reliable and satisfying customer experience. It will help library decision makers who want to find out about alternatives to Microsoft Windows–based PCs running Microsoft Office, not only as a means of cutting costs or reducing a carbon footprint, but also as a means of providing a better experience for library customers.
I suspect it’s worth buying if you’re in a library that has public workstations (if your library doesn’t subscribe to LTR, you can buy the issue for $43). Houser suggests reasons for considering open source solutions for public workstations, describes current open source products that may be suited for such workstations and offers several case studies, considering two of them in detail.
In some ways, I’m a skeptical audience for this report. I question the assumption that older/underpowered computers (inappropriate for XP or Vista but fine for Linux) necessarily use less power than contemporary computers–and Houser’s clearly uneasy with that particular argument.
For that matter, while I think the concept of open source software is great–-the Library Leadership Network runs on open source software (MediaWiki), my blog runs on open source software (WordPress), and my primary browser is open source software (Firefox)–-I’m also a happy Vista user who has no interest in trading Office2007 for OpenOffice.
But the reasons I prefer Office2007 and Vista at home probably don’t apply to public workstations. For such workstations, a set of open-source tools should be entirely workable and indeed more than is needed–and there’s no getting around the cost savings. Let’s be honest here: If and when I buy a netbook as a travel computer, there’s a very strong chance I’ll buy a Linux system.
Houser writes clearly and knows his stuff. If there’s a major problem with this report, it’s a problem shared by other recent LTR issues: It’s on the short side, with a total of 34 text pages. On the other hand, that also makes it a quick read and easy reference. All in all, a good introduction to one interesting approach (or, really, three related interesting approaches) to providing public library workstation support.
Notes from the comments
- Brett Bonfield: "Anyone else get peevish when 34-page reports on open source software are sold for $43? I’m not picking on John, who I like and respect. He has a lot to offer to libraries and he should be able to make a living offering it... A growing number of librarians are becoming open access converts; it would be encouraging if our publishers were working harder to make the transition. As for the cost savings currently available by going solely open source for our public work stations, I was surprised and disappointed to find that a strict open source model would have been much more expensive, both in initial and ongoing costs. I expect that to change in the next couple of years, and we certainly make extensive use of FOSS, but for our situation TCO was lower with Vista, MS Office, SteadyState, Foxit Reader, BaseShield, and a few other proprietary packages."
- Daniel Cornwall: "Our library uses Userful linux based computers. Overall we’re pretty happy with them. The biggest benefit to us has been able to put a hard stop to new virus infections and patrons subverting our locks to put on new software. Moving to open source also allowed us to offer word processing. There are still bugs. There are some things that don’t display well in Userful’s implementation of Firefox, but for the most part it keeps more people happier longer while almost eliminating IT maintenance time on the computers."
Resources
- oss4lib, open source systems for libraries, combines a blog and an email list along with a set of projects. If you want to be actively involved in using and building open source software in libraries, you should be aware of this site and probably join the oss4lib community.
- The Open Source Initiative "is a non-profit corporation formed to educate about and advocate for the benefits of open source and to build bridges among different constituencies in the open-source community." The site includes news items, a blog and a variety of resources including an annotated version of the Open Source Definition, licenses, standards and mailing lists.
- Free/Open Source Software Academic Bibliography - This bibliography (with occasional links) is maintained by Stefan Koch.
Blogs
- Open Sesame is a blog from LibLime, a library open source support company.
- Thoughts from Carl Grant is a blog by Carl Grant, president of CARE Affiliates, a library open source support company.
- open-ils blog describes itself as "Home of the Evergeen ILS." Evergreen is the open source library automation system used by Georgia's PINES Consortium and elsewhere.
- Some other, non-library, open source blogs appear on the Talk page, provided by Nicole Engard of LibLime.
Presentations
- Open Source Overview - A presentation by PALINET's John Houser at the ALA 2008 Annual Conference.
Related articles
- Why look at open source now? - John Houser's introduction to the topic.
- Open source - A growing set of articles.
- Leader's guide to open everything - Related "opens"; a growing article.
