Gartner: Open Source Becoming Pervasive Yet Lacking Governance
Market research firm Gartner discovered that most of the almost 300 organizations it surveyed employed Open Source software in one way or another, but that a general license enforcement policy was missing.
The biggest challenge for the open source organizations surveyed proved to be software governance and license policies, according to the Connecticut market research firm's study over May and June of 2008. The second place challenge was that Open Source software (OSS) companies have trouble with contradictory terms of use. Those surveyed also pointed to the countless licensing required.
Gartner's results show that around four-fifths of the 274 end-user organizations use OSS in their projects. Only about a third of them have a "formal policy for evaluating and cataloguing OSS usage in their enterprise, opening up huge potential liabilities for intellectual-property violations." "Just because something is free doesn't mean that it has no cost," says Gartner's research director Laurie Wurster in their press release. In her view each organization should have a policy about OSS so that it can control which of its applications and projects should use it and assess the consequences thereof.
Gartner found that total cost of ownership (TCO) was the main reason why organizations choose OSS and replace commercial solutions with it. Close behind was the ability to engage more easily in new IT projects and software initiatives. According to the study, OSS also frees organizations from dependence on single vendors. Finally, OSS allows them to "avoid complex procurement rules and procedures" so as to respond to user needs more quickly.
The survey spanned eight countries in North America, Europe and Asia, targeting end-users but excluding software vendors and external software providers. Respondents came from the manufacturing, education, financial and service sectors, from small, medium and large organizations.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
elementary OS 7.1 Now Available for Download
The team behind elementary OS has released the latest version of its operating system with a focus on personalization, inclusivity, accessibility, and privacy.
-
The GNU Project Celebrates Its 40th Birthday
September 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the GNU Project, and it was celebrated with a hacker meeting in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.
-
Linux Kernel Reducing Long-Term Support
LTS support for the Linux kernel is about to undergo some serious changes that will have a considerable impact on the future.
-
Fedora 39 Beta Now Available for Testing
For fans and users of Fedora Linux, the first beta of release 39 is now available, which is a minor upgrade but does include GNOME 45.
-
Fedora Linux 40 to Drop X11 for KDE Plasma
When Fedora 40 arrives in 2024, there will be a few big changes coming, especially for the KDE Plasma option.
-
Real-Time Ubuntu Available in AWS Marketplace
Anyone looking for a Linux distribution for real-time processing could do a whole lot worse than Real-Time Ubuntu.
-
KSMBD Finally Reaches a Stable State
For those who've been looking forward to the first release of KSMBD, after two years it's no longer considered experimental.
-
Nitrux 3.0.0 Has Been Released
The latest version of Nitrux brings plenty of innovation and fresh apps to the table.
-
Linux From Scratch 12.0 Now Available
If you're looking to roll your own Linux distribution, the latest version of Linux From Scratch is now available with plenty of updates.
-
Linux Kernel 6.5 Has Been Released
The newest Linux kernel, version 6.5, now includes initial support for two very exciting features.