The growing interest in the development of smart textiles for medical applications is driven by the aim to increase the mobility of patients who need a continuous monitoring of such physiological parameters. At the same time, the use of fiber optic sensors (FOSs) is gaining large acceptance as an alternative to traditional electrical and mechanical sensors for the monitoring of thermal and mech...

Abstract The focus of this chapter is to review what is known about free and open source software development (FOSSD) work practices, development processes, project and community dynamics, and other socio-technical relationships. It does not focus on specific properties or technical attributes of different FOSS systems, but it does seek to explore how FOSS is developed and evolved. The chapter ...

Software licensing is a complex issue in free and open source software (FOSS), specially when it involves the redistribution of derived works. The creation of derivative works created from components with different FOSS licenses poses complex challenges, particularly when one of the components is licensed under the terms of one of the versions of the GNU General Public License (GPL). This paper...

This paper presents and discusses the results from an electronic survey on the use of free and open source software (FOSS) by local governments in Costa Rica. Barriers preventing the use of this type of software are also identified. Comparison of the results from this survey with those obtained from a previous one, conducted under the same project, shows that Costa Rican local governments are i...

The adoption of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in the education sector in emerging markets holds much promise, but should be accompanied by a wellinformed decision to ensure that the potential value is realized. The research conducted provides insight into the pragmatic factors driving the adoption of FOSS in the education environment, as well as those aspects inhibiting adoption. This st...

Free Open Source Software (FOSS) is critical in any contemporary society, particularly if its digital existence is to be extensively crucial; therefore, it is essential to inquiry whether or not there is a credible and reliable FOSS-related Techno-Social Policy, in a particular context, as in Turkey. The study focuses on Pardus which is a FOSS-based Linux Operating System (OS), particularly arg...

Development organizations and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been emphasizing the high potential of free and open source software (FOSS) for the less developed countries (LDCs). Cost reduction, less vendor dependency, and increased potential for local capacity development have been their main arguments. In spite of its advantages, FOSS is not widely adopted on the Afric...