This Article 
   
 Share 
   
 Bibliographic References 
   
 Add to: 
 
Digg
Furl
Spurl
Blink
Simpy
Google
Del.icio.us
Y!MyWeb
 
 Search 
   
Should You Adopt Open Source Software?
May/June 2008 (vol. 25 no. 3)
pp. 54-59
ASCII Text
x 
 
Kris Ven, Jan Verelst, Herwig Mannaert, "Should You Adopt Open Source Software?," IEEE Software, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 54-59, May/June, 2008.
 
 
BibTex
x
 
@article{ 10.1109/MS.2008.73,
author = {Kris Ven and Jan Verelst and Herwig Mannaert},
title = {Should You Adopt Open Source Software?},
journal ={IEEE Software},
volume = {25},
number = {3},
issn = {0740-7459},
year = {2008},
pages = {54-59},
doi = {http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/MS.2008.73},
publisher = {IEEE Computer Society},
address = {Los Alamitos, CA, USA},
}
 
 
RefWorks Procite/RefMan/Endnote
x 
 
TY - MGZN
JO - IEEE Software
TI - Should You Adopt Open Source Software?
IS - 3
SN - 0740-7459
SP54
EP59
EPD - 54-59
A1 - Kris Ven,
A1 - Jan Verelst,
A1 - Herwig Mannaert,
PY - 2008
KW - management review and evaluation
KW - management of computing and information systems
KW - software management
KW - software selection
VL - 25
JA - IEEE Software
ER -
 
Kris Ven, University of Antwerp
Jan Verelst, University of Antwerp
Herwig Mannaert, University of Antwerp
Organizations have increasingly adopted open source software (OSS) as an essential part of their IT infrastructure. However, several reports and articles contain contradicting claims on the advantages and disadvantages of using OSS. This article describes how decision makers can interpret these reports. The authors performed a case study involving 10 Belgian organizations to support their conclusions from a review of the professional and academic literature. This article can provide decision makers with more insight into whether, when, and how to adopt OSS.

1. K. Ven and J. Verelst, "The Impact of Ideology on the Organizational Adoption of Open Source Software," J. Database Management, vol. 19, no. 2, 2008, pp. 58–72.
2. J. Dedrick and J. West, "Movement Ideology vs. User Pragmatism in the Organizational Adoption of Open Source Software," Computerization Movements and Technology Diffusion: From Mainframes to Ubiquitous Computing, K.L. Kraemer and M. Elliott, eds., Information Today, 2007.
3. B. Fitzgerald and P.J. Agerfalk, "The Mysteries of Open Source Software: Black and White and Red All Over?" Proc. 38th Hawaii Int'l Conf. System Sciences (HICSS 05), IEEE CS Press, 2005, p. 196a.
4. J. Dedrick and J. West, "An Exploratory Study into Open Source Platform Adoption," Proc. 37th Hawaii Int'l Conf. System Sciences (HICSS 04), IEEE CS Press, 2004, p. 80265b.
5. M.H. Larsen, J. Holck, and M.K. Pedersen, "The Challenges of Open Source Software in IT Adoption," working paper 2004-11, Dept. of Informatics, Copenhagen Business School, 2004.
6. B. Fitzgerald and T. Kenny, "Open Source Software in the Trenches: Lessons from a Large Scale Implementation," Proc. 24th Int'l Conf. Information Systems (ICIS 03), Assoc. for Information Systems, 2003, pp. 316–326.
7. B. Lundell, B. Lings, and E. Lindqvist, "Perceptions and Uptake of Open Source in Swedish Organisations," IFIP Int'l Federation for Information Processing, vol. 203, E. Damiani et al., eds., Springer, 2006, pp. 155–163.
8. J. West and J. Dedrick, "Scope and Timing of Deployment: Moderators of Organizational Adoption of the Linux Server Platform," Int'l J. IT Standards Research, vol. 4, no. 2, 2006, pp. 1–23.
9. L. Morgan and P. Finnegan, "How Perceptions of Open Source Software Influence Adoption: An Exploratory Study," Proc. 15th European Conf. Information Systems (ECIS 07), Univ. of St. Gallen, 2007, pp. 973–984.
10. T. Wichmann, "Use of Open Source Software in Firms and Public Institutions—Evidence from Germany, Sweden and UK," Floss Final Report, pt. 1, Int'l Inst. of Infonomics, Berlecon Research, 2002.
11. S. Goode, "Something for Nothing: Management Rejection of Open Source Software in Australia's Top Firms," Information &Management, vol. 42, no. 5, 2005, pp. 669–681.
12. R. Ghosh and R. Glott, "Results and Policy Paper from Survey of Government Authorities," Free/Libre and Open Source Software: Policy Support (FlossPols) Deliverable D3, Merit, Univ. of Maastricht, 2005; www.flosspols.orgdeliverables.php.
13. J. Feller and B. Fitzgerald, Understanding Open Source Software Development, Addison-Wesley, 2002.
14. C.B. Weinstock and S.A. Hissam, "Making Lightning Strike Twice," Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software, J. Feller et al., eds., MIT Press, 2005, pp. 143–159.
15. E.B. Swanson and N.C. Ramiller, "Innovating Mindfully with Information Technology," MIS Quarterly, vol. 28, no. 4, 2004, pp. 553–583.

Index Terms:
management review and evaluation, management of computing and information systems, software management, software selection
Citation:
Kris Ven, Jan Verelst, Herwig Mannaert, "Should You Adopt Open Source Software?," IEEE Software, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 54-59, May-June 2008, doi:10.1109/MS.2008.73
Usage of this product signifies your acceptance of the Terms of Use.