Security issues see govts make a dash for open source software
[email protected] Fri, 8 Nov 2002 13:49:03 +0530 (IST)
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------=_Part_86_349994.1036743543476 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_87_1944078.1036743543476" ------=_Part_87_1944078.1036743543476 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Security issues see govts make a dash for open source software K YATISH RAJAWAT TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2002 12:29:36 AM ] http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/comp/articleshow?artid=3D2= 7485720&sType=3D1 The open source movement is picking up momentum across the world. Governmen= t-owned enterprises increasingly prefer open source software like Linux com= pared with packaged software from commercial vendors. The reason for the recent rise in the adoption rate of open source software= is rising concerns about security, cost and control among buyers. Moreover, at high-end computing levels it is becoming difficult for enterpr= ises to find operating systems, and companies like IBM are making a major p= ush towards Linux.=20 Security is a primary concern for governments and public sector enterprises= . Increasingly, computers are not only used for computing, but for communic= ation as well and it is becoming difficult to protect sensitive data in a n= etworked world. Most of the shrink wrapped operating systems sold by vendors have obvious s= ecurity flaws in them that make the networks in these organisations open to= hackers. Though vendors like Microsoft update the fixes to cover security flaws regu= larly, the more important part is that the users of these operating systems= do not have any control over making any changes as the source code is prop= rietary. Whereas in open source the code is available to the public to use and make = changes. Linux is just one of the softwares available in open source. The o= pen software society claims that there exists an open source version for al= most every vendor=92s product in the world. It is not that the cost of an open source software is zero. Only the packag= e is free. Installation, implementation and maintenance costs money. All these services around Linux are provided by third party service provide= rs. Therefore, open source software can be freely downloaded from the inter= net but to install and run it support is needed.=20 A survey of governments carried out by O Reilly Publications reveals that s= everal governments are moving towards open source. China is of course the most famous example as the government has invested i= n its own software package Red Flag Software and has almost made it compuls= ory to be used by each and every state enterprise.=20 The Indian government has also expressed its intention to use open source s= oftware, though ministry officials are unwilling to share details. Vendors claim that the government has a singular plan to move towards open = source. Support of open source software around the world is rising. Currently, there are 66 government proposals, statements and studies promot= ing open source software in 25 countries, the Initiative for Software Choic= e said. The policy statements and legislative proposals mainly encourage the use of= open source software in government procurement, and nearly all of them hav= e cropped up in the last 18 months. The Initiative for Software Choice is a body supported by Microsoft, Intel = and almost all the other vendors to curb the influence of Linux. In Asia and South America the move is more due to cost and other concerns m= entioned earlier. In Europe it is being promoted to wrest control away from= American companies in the software area. ------------------------------------------------------- Ashish Kotamkar ([email protected]) -------------------------------------------- Email in Indian languages. This mail has been sent to you from http://mithi.com. ------=_Part_87_1944078.1036743543476 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <HTML><HEAD><META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dx-user-defined" http-equi= v=3D"Content-Type"><style type=3D"text/css"><!--.MailHeader { font-family: = "Arial"; font-size: 8pt; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-weight: n= ormal; text-decoration: none; }//--></style></HEAD><BODY><font face=3DArial= size=3D2><div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Security issues see govts make a= dash for open source software</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>K YATISH RAJAWAT</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 07= , 2002 12:29:36 AM ]</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dl= l/html/comp/articleshow?artid=3D27485720&sType=3D1</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>The open source movement is picking up mom= entum across the world. Government-owned enterprises increasingly prefer op= en source software like Linux compared with packaged software from commerci= al vendors.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>The reason for the recent rise in the adop= tion rate of open source software is rising concerns about security, cost a= nd control among buyers.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Moreover, at high-end computing levels it = is becoming difficult for enterprises to find operating systems, and compan= ies like IBM are making a major push towards Linux. </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Security is a primary concern for governme= nts and public sector enterprises. Increasingly, computers are not only use= d for computing, but for communication as well and it is becoming difficult= to protect sensitive data in a networked world.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Most of the shrink wrapped operating syste= ms sold by vendors have obvious security flaws in them that make the networ= ks in these organisations open to hackers.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Though vendors like Microsoft update the f= ixes to cover security flaws regularly, the more important part is that the= users of these operating systems do not have any control over making any c= hanges as the source code is proprietary.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Whereas in open source the code is availab= le to the public to use and make changes. Linux is just one of the software= s available in open source. The open software society claims that there exi= sts an open source version for almost every vendor=92s product in the world= .</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>It is not that the cost of an open source = software is zero. Only the package is free. Installation, implementation an= d maintenance costs money.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>All these services around Linux are provid= ed by third party service providers. Therefore, open source software can be= freely downloaded from the internet but to install and run it support is n= eeded. </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>A survey of governments carried out by O R= eilly Publications reveals that several governments are moving towards open= source.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>China is of course the most famous example= as the government has invested in its own software package Red Flag Softwa= re and has almost made it compulsory to be used by each and every state ent= erprise. </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>The Indian government has also expressed i= ts intention to use open source software, though ministry officials are unw= illing to share details.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Vendors claim that the government has a si= ngular plan to move towards open source. Support of open source software ar= ound the world is rising.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Currently, there are 66 government proposa= ls, statements and studies promoting open source software in 25 countries, = the Initiative for Software Choice said.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>The policy statements and legislative prop= osals mainly encourage the use of open source software in government procur= ement, and nearly all of them have cropped up in the last 18 months.</font>= </div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>The Initiative for Software Choice is a bo= dy supported by Microsoft, Intel and almost all the other vendors to curb t= he influence of Linux.</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>In Asia and South America the move is more= due to cost and other concerns mentioned earlier. In Europe it is being pr= omoted to wrest control away from American companies in the software area.<= /font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2> </font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------------------------------= -------------</font></div> <div><font face=3DArial size=3D2>Ashish Kotamkar ([email protected])</font><= /div></font></BODY></HTML> ------=_Part_87_1944078.1036743543476-- ------=_Part_86_349994.1036743543476--