Open Source, Open Source Software
Open Source generally refers to software that can be modified, shared, and reused because its design or “Source code” is publicly available.
Open Source Software (OSS) is software released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, modify and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any goals.
For open source software to be recognized as a Digital Public Goods, it must demonstrate the use of an approved open license.
Open Source Software can be developed collaboratively and publicly. Therefore, it is a prime example of open collaboration, which means that any capable user can participate in development online, making the number of possible participants uncertain. The ability to examine the code increases the public’s trust in the software.
Open Source Software development can lead to a variety of perspectives that go beyond a single company.
Open Source can be used for studying and allows capable end users to adapt software to their personal needs in a similar way that User Scripts and custom Style Sheets allow websites , and eventually publish the modification as a Fork (GitHub) for users with similar preferences and directly submit possible improvements in the form of Pull Requests (GitHub).
Open-Source Software monetization
When evaluating open source software, it is suggested to consider the following factors:
Functionality and Compliance:
It is essential to ensure the software is designed for the purpose and can handle the intended workload. If the software does not fill all the requirements, but is close, open source gives an opportunity to modify the software. In those cases, submiting revision proposals (contributing) to the project can be an excellent option. Forking is also an option.
User friendliness: A good user interface will reduce resistance to change and increase efficiency. With open source software, if the features are good but the user interface is inadequate, or if the interface is too different to what the users expect, this can be modified.
Support and Documentation: With proprietary software, often the software owner is the only place to get support. Open source software does not impose any legal or technical restrictions, so there can be a choice of service providers or any software developer can be hired to study the software, conduct audits or implement improvements.
There may also be a community of users and developers. This can be a source of information and a way to find service providers.
Security: With access to source code and permission to audit and change, open source software offers greater flexibility in implementing security procedures and standards. Protecting the citizens’ privacy is fundamental to e-governance, so it is worth exploring these additional security testing opportunities, as well as the presence of active community efforts to identify and patch vulnerabilities.
Also, you need to pay attention to how often releases are made and how security issues are resolved.
Scalability and Adaptability: Open source software is highly scalable and adaptable. This allows GovTech or Civic Tech to take a piece of software and tailor it to their specific needs. Moreover, as conditions change over time, communities can continue to modify the software to better suit their changing needs.
Signing a contract to support open source software:
(or that part of the software that is distributed under an open source license)
If all of the above factors are taken into account, then what remains is the signing of the “Contract for the purchase of open source software.”
In this case, procurement can be carried out, for example, for work on “Implementation, installation, configuration, maintenance, documentation and support” and pay for these works in accordance with the terms of the contract.
Monetization of open source software for developers:
It should be remembered that there are several models for monetizing software, including a model where the “core of the solution” is offered in open form, and some modules that “extend functionality” and/or “increase the commercial value/return” of the entire solution can be provided for a fee (commercial) basis.
