In this paper, the essential characteristics of software development projects in the open source environment are described. This model of freely distributed, highly decentralized, democratic software development with little management hierarchy, overhead, or salary compensation has made a revolution in the software industry. These open source projects, like typical commercial software projects,...

Usability of open source systems is becoming a relevant topic for investigation given the proliferation of open source software. General assumptions do not favor a positive relationship between the existing open source development model and good usability due to a host of social context reasons. In this paper we provide empirical evidence on this issue through a case study using an open source ...

The success of Linux and Apache has strengthened the opinion that the open source paradigm is one of the most promising strategies to enhance the maturity, quality, and efficiency of software development activities. This observation, however, has not been discussed in much detail and critically addressed by the software engineering community. Most of the claims associated with open source appea...

A study of the spectrum of use and related ICT infrastructure costs This report records work that Becta has done with schools which have implemented a range of open source software (OSS) solutions. This project, funded by the DfES, was one of an interrelated series, all looking at ways of helping schools make effective and sustainable use of ICT by exploring the total cost of ownership (TCO) of...

Open source communities have successfully developed many pieces of software although most computer users only use proprietary applications. The usability of open source software is often regarded as one reason for this limited distribution. In this paper we review the existing evidence of the usability of open source software and discuss how the characteristics of open-source development influe...

The last few years have shown a worldwide rise in the attention for, and actual use of, open source software (OSS), most notably of the operating system Linux and various applications running on top of it. Variousmajor companies and governments are adopting OSS. As a result, there are many publications concerning its advantages and disadvantages. The ongoing discussions cover a wide range of to...

In this tutorial, we explore open source software practices and tools that are suitable for a growing number of creators of interactive and playful systems. The introduction of open source tools such as Processing and Arduino has motivated a broader participation of technical and non-technical users in the creative production of interactive systems. Maker communities meet regularly and they sha...