Hot Topics in Open Source Today

Some potential presenters in the Open Source community have asked us for ideas on various topics that they could present on at OSSPAC.  We did a bit of research and came up with a few topics that appear, to us at least, to be hot topics in the OS world.  This is by no means an exhaustive list, and we definitely will accept presentations that do not fall into one of these topics.  This is just a small list to get your brain juices flowing.

The list of topics that we came up with are: 

 

1. Business models.  The big multinationals such as Oracle and IBM are making money by servicing hardware and software that runs on the Open Source platform. The smaller players like Red Hat are finding it challenging to make large dollars when one of the tenets of Open Source is free software.  Service and customer support can only go so far in bringing in revenue.  What’s next in the search for business models / strategies that can enable smaller vendors to continue to embrace the Open Source ethos, while still enabling them to create vibrant businesses?
   
   
   
2. Rough Waters Ahead for "The Cloud?"  The idea is compelling… no more need to leave your data tied to a personal computer on your desk.  Instead, anywhere and anytime you can have instant access to the information and resources you need, because "The Cloud" provides the storage and the processing everywhere you go.  But is this freedom, or a throwback to the old days of centralized computing?  Wasn’t the PC revolution all about "personal" computing?  What about bandwidth issues, network security, and even cyber-terror?  Is "The Cloud" really the answer, or should we tread cautiously before moving to a complete "software as a service" model?
   
   
   
3. Open ID — will one size really fit all?  The web… so much to see, so much to do, so much that’s interesting.  We all want to sign up and log on to everything.  But what a monstrous pain dealing with all those different user IDs and passwords.  If you use the same one, you open yourself up for tremendous security risks.  So the dream of a unified access ID you can use everywhere makes a lot of sense.  What are the obstacles to making Open ID ubiquitous?  Are the challenges primarily technical, political, or simply a matter of marketing?
   
   
   
4. The Open Web — creating an open set of protocols that can be agreed upon and implemented by the broad community of developers.  Freeing the web from proprietary vendors so everyone can participate in its ongoing evolution.  In theory, a beautiful thing.  But can this happen outside the framework of profitable business models?  And pure selflessness is not only rare in individuals, it’s almost non-existent in corporations that have to meet payrolls and mollify skeptical shareholders.  So how do we work within these practical realities to move the vision forward?
   
   
   
5. Innovation — there’s no shortage of interesting Open Source projects.  A quick scan at Sourceforge.net shows nearly 300,000 different project topics.  A good many of them, however, are "free" versions of proprietary software, for instance GIMP for Photoshop, OpenOffice for MS Office, and so on.  To really raise the bar on Open Source, we need to also include "insanely great" innovations in user experience, new business models, and engineering.  There’s lots going on already, so perhaps half the challenge is making the exciting stuff better known.
   
   
   
6. Patents and Legal Issues — when you buy from Microsoft, there’s no escaping the ever-present "End User License Agreement" or EULA.  For a developer who’s more interested in creating a really amazing solution to a gnarly technical issue, having to hassle with legal issues, copyrights, copylefts, patents, and the rest is just more time away from coding.  But they definitely want to make sure their rights are protected, as well as their ideals.  This is a very complex topic that is getting much greater attention in the OS world as companies look for ways to create free software distributions while still providing revenue-generating versions for their own businesses (e.g., SugarCRM).
   
   
   
7. Blending the Visions — Governments are looking to streamline their operations and serve their constituents more effectively; Enterprises are seeking new ways to reduce overhead while still providing large customer bases with secure, reliable, and on-demand services; and Entrepreneurs are constantly pushing the envelope to develop the next breakthrough innovations in technology and business models.  Three distinct groups with shared dreams of changing the world by leveraging the power of Open Source.  And the challenge is this: how can we best blend these visions in a way to benefit all?
    
8. Mobile Open Source Technology — Black berries, iPhones, Google’s Android technology, Twitter, and an ever-growing host of other technologies make it easier than ever before to hit the road and remain connected to your business, your family, and your life.  In fact, we’re only beginning to appreciate the degree to which mobile open source technologies will change the world.  The big question on everyone’s minds: what’s next and will I need deeper pockets?

There you have it!  If any of those above topics sound like something you either are an expert in, or you are interested in researching and are willing to share your research results, please consider OSSPAC as a venue for sharing your knowledge.

 

The OSSPAC Call for Papers is open until the end of September.  Just click on this link to read more information about it, and we look forward to hearing from you!