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Succeeding with Open Source

Bernard Golden

Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 2005 , 242 pages

ISBN: 0-321-26853-9

Keywords: Open Source

Synopsis:

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Succeeding with Open Source presents a practical methodology for organizations using open source software. The book describes all aspects of open source products and the significant difference between open source and commercial software: while commercial software vendors deliver a mature product that includes software, training, documentation, support, and even professional services, open source software focuses on only software -- users are expected to arrange for all other necessary product elements.

Succeeding with Open Source describes in detail how organizations can locate, assess, and select those elements. When selecting a software product, every pragmatic IT organization wants to know how mature the product is -- how ready is it for the intended use? To help them answer that question about open source products, Succeeding with Open Source presents the Open Source Maturity Model (OSMM), a formal methodology to determine the maturity level of any given open source product. A sample OSMM assessment is included with the book to help readers see how the process may be easily applied and how it can help identify product strengths and weaknesses.

Table of Contents:

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  • Introduction
  • Part I: Overview of Open Source
    1. The Source of Open Source
      • Executive Summary
      • What Is Open Source
        • Source Code Availability
        • Zero Price Software
        • Open Source: A Different Licensing Model
      • Who Creates Open Source?
        • Why Do Developers Work on Open Source?
        • What Are Open Source Developers Like?
        • How Do Open Source Developers Support Themselves?
        • Implications of the BCG Survey
      • Who Uses Open Source?
        • Created by Volunteers, Not Employees
        • Development Practices
        • A Philosophy of Community
        • Can Community Work?
      • Where Do I Get Open Source Software?
        • Individual Open Source Product Web Sites
        • Open Source Portals
        • Commercial Distributions
        • The Challenge of Anonymous Distribution
      • When and How Do I Use Open Source?
    2. Open Source Business Models
      • Executive Summary
      • Early Open Source Business Models: By Enthusiasts for Enthusiasts
      • The Next Model: Installation, Technical Support, and Consulting
      • The New Models: Open Source as a Competitive Advantage
        • Open Source Add-On Products
        • Extended Open Source Products
        • Hybrid Commercial/Open Source Products
      • Business Models: The Bottom Line
    3. Open Source Risks
      • Executive Summary
      • Licensing Risk
        • What Went Before: Commercial Software Licenses
        • Open Source Licenses
        • Redistribution Responsibilities of Open Source Licenses
        • Asymmetrical License Risk
        • Addressing Open Source License Risk
      • Security and Quality Risk
        • What Problems Can Result from Security and Quality Risk?
        • How Likely Are These Risks?
      • Premature Commitment Risk
        • Reducing Open Source Proliferation
      • Unchanging Process Risk
  • Part II: Selecting, Assessing, and Evaluating Open Source Software
    1. The Open Source Maturity Model
      • Executive Summary
      • The Challenge of the Whole Product
        • The Two Types of Technology Users
        • What Technology Users Want from Their Vendors
        • The Mature Product Dilemma: Pragmatists and Open Source
      • What Is Product Maturity?
      • Why Is Product Maturity Important?
      • How Does Maturity Impact Open Source?
      • The OSMM: An Overview
        • Phase 1: Assess Element Maturity
        • Phase 2: Assign Weighting Factors
        • Phase 3: Calculate the Product's Overall Maturity Score
      • The Purpose of the OSMM
      • The OSMM Template
      • JBoss: A Real-World OSMM Assessment
      • How to Use the OSMM
      • Recommended OSMM Scores
    2. The Open Source Product
      • Executive Summary
      • Assessing Product Maturity: The Process
      • Defining Organizational Requirements
        • Put Together a Requirements Task Force
        • Identify the Functional Requirements for the Product
        • Document the Functional Requirements
      • Locating Resources
        • Search Open Source Project Portals
        • Search the Web
        • Ask Open Source Developers
        • Post to Mailing Lists
        • Ask Vendors
        • Put Together a Candidate List
      • Assessing the Functionality of the Product
        • Assess the Product Based on Its Description
        • Query the Developers
        • Query the User Community
      • Assessing Product Longevity
        • Determining the Level of the Product's Longevity
      • Assessing Product Quality
        • Examine the Source Code
        • Evaluate the QA Effort
        • Assess the Activity Level of the Product
      • Assessing the Product Team
        • Examine the Size of the Project Team
        • Examine the Skills and Experience of the Project Team Members
        • Don't Be Afraid to Address This Issue
      • Assigning a Product Maturity Score
      • Assessing JBoss: Product Maturity
    3. Open Source Technical Support
      • Executive Summary
      • The Two Types of Technical Support
      • Doesn't Source Availability Mean Technical Support Doesn't Matter?
      • Defining Technical Support Requirements
        • Assess How Familiar the Organization Is with the Product or a Product Like It
        • Assess How the Product Will Be Used
        • Assess the Skill Levels and Attitude of the Individuals Using the Product
        • Documenting Requirements
      • Locating Resources
      • Community Support
        • Mailing List Protocol
        • The Best Use of Mailing Lists
        • Mailing List Benefits
        • Mailing List Concerns
        • How to Use Mailing Lists
        • Mailing List Summary
      • Paid Support
        • Who Offers Paid Support?
        • How Much Does Paid Support Cost?
        • Who Uses Paid Support?
      • Self-Support
      • Assessing Technical Support Maturity
        • Assessing Community Support
        • Assessing Paid Support
        • Assessing Self-Support
      • Assesing a Technical Support Maturity Score
      • Assessing JBoss: Technical Support
    4. Open Source Documentation
      • Executive Summary
      • Defining Documentation Requirements
      • Locating Resources
        • Developer-Created Documentation
        • Web Postings
        • Commercially Published Documentation
      • Assessing Documentation Maturity
        • Assessing Reference Documentation
        • Assessing Tutorial Documentation
        • Assessing Usage Documentation
        • Taking Advantage of the Community's Experience
      • Assigning a Documentation Maturity Score
      • Assessing JBoss: Documentation
    5. Open Source Training
      • Executive Summary
      • Defining Training Requirements
      • Locating Resources
        • Option 1: Informal Web-Based How-To Examples Posted by Product Users
        • Option 2: Developer-Created Online Tutorials
        • Option 3: Commercially Published Tutorials
        • Option 4: Classroom Training Developed and Delivered by the Open Source Development Team
        • Option 5: Training Developed and Delivered by Commercial Entities
        • Summary of Training Types
      • Assessing Training Maturity
      • Assigning a Training Maturity Score
      • Assessing JBoss: Training
    6. Open Source Integration with Other Products
      • Executive Summary
      • Integration: The Hidden Achilles Heel
        • Challenges of Integration
        • Challenges of Open Source Integration
      • New Standards in Integration
        • How Integration Standards Help Open Source
      • Defining Integration Requirements
        • Identify the Needed Integrations
      • Locating Resources
        • Identify Existing Integrations
        • Create an Integration Plan for Missing Integration Mechanisms
        • Identify Any Integrations That Cannot Be Created
      • Assessing Source Integration Maturity
      • Assigning an Integration Maturity Score
      • Assessing JBoss: Integration
    7. Open Source Professional Services
      • Executive Summary
      • Open Source Professional Services Overview
        • Open Source and Professional Services
      • Defining Professional Service Requirements
      • Locating Resources
      • Assessing Professional Services Maturity
      • Assigning a Professional Services Maturity Score
      • Assessing JBoss: Professional Services
    8. JBoss Open Source Maturity Model Assessment
      • Executive Summary
      • Review of the JBoss OSMM Assessment
      • JBoss Software
      • JBoss Technical Support
      • JBoss Documentation
      • JBoss Training
      • JBoss Integration with Other Products
      • JBoss Professional Services
      • Assessing the JBoss OSMM Score
      • Comments on the OSMM Process
  • Conclusions

Reviews:

Succeeding with Open Source

by Roland Buresund — last modified 2010-04-23 12:33

Rating: ********** (Excellent)

An extremely well-written book, that manages to teach you something new (OSMM), as well as educate you in OSS and give a well-written and researched response to Carr's opinions as given in HBR.

What also make it stand out is that it is both well-researched and practical (and to top it of, very well-written). The only thing missing is a thorough review of the different OSS licenses and their implications.

Anyone that has to work in IT (both at a Management or a more hands-on level) has to consider this mandatory reading. In short, excellent reading.
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