Understanding the potential technical pitfalls of open source in the education market (Technology Focus)

This technology brief looks at some of the issues that institutions may face, from a technical point of view, when looking to install open source software.



Report Highlights
As open source software becomes more prominent this brief examines some of the issues surrounding the technology. This brief helps readers understand if some of the potential pitfalls of open source - and if all the hype is to believed.


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DATAMONITOR VIEW 1
CATALYST 1
SUMMARY 1
ANALYSIS 2
Adopting an OSS can bring a number of technological advantages and disadvantages 2
Open code enables institutions to have more direction in the formation of their product 2
OSS comes under increased scrutiny compared to proprietary software 3
Institutions can not always be aware of the technological due diligence that takes place 3
The technological advantages of open source differ between applications 4
Sakai and Moodle offer real technological advantages for institutions 4
ERP applications are complex and mission critical and not yet sufficiently advanced in open source 5
Vendors should take the weakness of open source ERP as a reason not to sit on their laurels 5
OSS is not just about the product - there are other important issues 6
Interoperability is key to ensuring the success of OSS 6
The community behind an OSS is as important as the product 7
The nature of open source demands that vendors assist institutions with implementation 7
The success of One Laptop per Child could have an impact upon the education industry 8
ACTIONS 10
Vendors need to consider the potential impact of OLPC on the education market 10
Some vendors can help bring the advantages of open source to institutions 10
As institutions adopt OSS vendors should ensure the interoperability of their solutions 10
APPENDIX 11
Definitions 11
Methodology 11
Further reading 11
Ask the analyst 12
Datamonitor consulting 13
Disclaimer 13

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Figure 1: It might be an uphill struggle for an institution with open source - but they are in control of where they are going 3
Figure 2: There are multiple factors to evaluate when implementing OSS 6
Figure 3: Survey Results August 2007 - Higher Education institutions open source strategy 8


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