Open source software--standard parts of software industry

Preface: This is an old article, originally written in 2012, was only published inside the company, and colleagues discussed. Now share with you.

My opinion of open source software

2012-11-20

Open source software, is to promote the development of the software industry an important organization, for open-source software, I know.

For better expression, let me introduce a noun: standard.

For this noun, the machinery industry personnel are very familiar, because the mechanical field has a lot of standard parts. Below we look at the definition of mechanical standard parts:

Standard parts refers to the structure, size, drawing, marking and so on all aspects have been fully standardized, and by the professional factory production of commonly used 0 (part) pieces, such as threaded parts, keys, pins, rolling bearings and so on. The broad range includes standardized fasteners, connectors, transmission parts, seals, hydraulic components, pneumatic components, bearings, springs and other mechanical parts. The narrow sense includes only standardized fasteners. Commonly known as standard fasteners in the abbreviation, is a narrow concept, but can not rule out the existence of a generalized concept. In addition, there are industry standard parts, such as automotive standard parts, mold standard parts, etc., also belong to the general standard.

(Definitions quoted from Baidu Encyclopedia).

For open source software, personal think also belongs to standard parts category. Every open source software, in a way, is consistent with standard parts.

For the software industry, each software has a function or multiple functions to complete a task or to assist in the completion of the work.

Commercial software can be seen as a production line, open source software is regarded as standard parts.

Software vendors are the designers and producers of "production lines". Software vendors integrate these standard components organically, and add some of their own developed features, integrated together to provide some special functions or services.

But there are some differences between open source software and standard parts:

Cost:

Because the software is a special commodity, belongs to the logic product, after the development, the copy cost is zero, and the quality does not appear the problem. However, after the design of mechanical standard parts, the production cost is basically fixed, and can not be reduced, and the quality will have a certain fluctuation. For example, to produce a bearing, the cost must not be lower than the same weight of steel. The quality of different batches may vary slightly.

So open source software can do no charge, but the standard is not possible.

Commercial software is the leader of open source software, loses the lead of commercial software, the open source software that does not face to the end customer directly will lose direction. There is no way to know where open source software products go, so open source software and integrated software are complementary and mutually reinforcing relationships. Open source software is the essence of software industry standard, manufacturers use an open source software, in the actual discovery of new requirements or functions, and then improve the open source software features, so that open source software features stronger, higher performance, more adaptable. This development, the function of open source software will become very powerful, the function is becoming perfect.

This completes the open source software I for everyone, everyone for my world Datong.

Open source software--standard parts of software industry