Introduction
by Carolyn Wei
One of the spectacular successes of open source is Linux, which is famed for its strong community of enthusiasts as well as its competitiveness as an operating system. Open source embodies a philosphy as well as software code. At its core, open source refers to open access to the source code of a program. But beyond the freely available code, the license for an open source program must give users the freedom to modify the code as well as to redistribute a program as a component of another software package [2]. The rationale behind these guidelines is that a society of programmers modifying code is more likely to improve and innovate a program than a closed group would.
Open source is sometimes confused with freeware, which is software that does not cost anything. Although some open source programs are distributed without charge, the free software philosophy draws from the "freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software" rather than from a price tag [1]. The benefit to the consumer is intended not to be cost but higher quality software.
In this issue, we are delighted to bring you A Day in the Life of Richard Stallman, the founder of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation and a seminal figure in open source. The GNU Project first distributed GNU, a free operating system, which today is still in use as the system that the Linux kernel runs on [3]. Also in this issue is Desktop Open Source, by Bryan Stroube, an examination of factors that contribute to successful open source desktop software. Stroube argues that one reason open source is not more popular in the end-user desktop market is the lack of "1-800" live technical support.
Besides the articles about open source, we also bring you The Grading System of the Real World, by Lynellen Perry, former editor in chief of Crossroads. Her article discusses job performance reviews in the workplace. Students who are about to enter the workforce will find the tips in this article about preparing for and handling a performance review to be useful. Managing XML Data Storage by Jerry Emerick is an in-depth look at XML-enabled and XML databases. XML is a popular tool for managing content and information for reuse in different documents and platforms, but its strength depends on using the right database model.
As always, this and every issue of Crossroads is available online at our Web site, http://www.acm.org/crossroads/. You'll find the articles that appear in the print edition of Crossroads as well as Web-only articles and student resources. Please take a look!
References
- 1
- The Free Software Definition, < http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html> (March 9, 2002). Retrieved March 18, 2002.
- 2
- The Open Source Definition, <http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.html> Retrieved March 18, 2002.
- 3
- Stallman, R. Linux and the GNU Project.http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html> (November 30, 2000) Retrieved March 18, 2002.
Biography
Carolyn Wei (wei@acm.org, is
pursuing a master's degree in technical communication at the
University of Washington. She is writing her thesis about online
collaboration between virtual teams. She currently serves as the
Managing Editor of ACM Crossroads Magazine.