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The open source movement is changing the way that software
is being developed and used, and is having a significant
impact on software developers, vendors, and users. Virtually
every company and organization is using open source software.
As an example, more than 40 million web sites use the open
source Apache web server. Vendors of closed source products
are increasingly competing with open source vendors, not
just for infrastructure products, but also for finished
applications. Traditional hardware and software vendors
have made major investments in open source, releasing their
intellectual property for widespread use.
Developers and vendors alike are relying on open source
components as part of their deployed applications and websites.
Job postings seek web application developers with LAMP (Linux,
Apache, MySQL, and Perl, PHP, or Python) experience. Venture
capitalists are investing in companies offering and supporting
open source products, assuring the further development of
business models around open source software with an associated
increase in professional management for open source companies.
Taken together, these changes are likely to transform software
development and the software industry.
Carnegie Mellon West has created the Center for Open Source Innovation
(COSI) to address the technical, managerial, and business
issues raised by the growth and acceptance of open source
software. COSI will draw upon Carnegie Mellon's international
renown in software engineering practice and experience.
The goal of COSI is to serve as a trusted and impartial
center of expertise and innovation on open source, as well
as an effective communication mechanism among companies,
the research community, and the providers of open source
products and services.
COSI focuses on methods and practices for developing, adopting,
managing, and integrating systems that incorporate open
source technology. COSI will establish a laboratory, library,
and community website that can serve as a testbed and experience
factory for open source software, as well as a site for
student and faculty projects. Experiences gained from the
laboratory will be a valuable resource for evaluating development
and deployment of open source-based systems. COSI's web
presence will include links to leading open source organizations,
companies, information sites, and conferences, in addition
to COSI's own reports. COSI will produce workshops, education,
and technical papers, aimed at helping companies and organizations
to use open source technologies more effectively.
COSI is currently in the process of creating partnerships,
soliciting potential sponsors, and establishing an Industry
Advisory Board, leading to a formal launch later in 2005.
To receive additional information on COSI or to be placed
on our mailing list, please send us an email
message.
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