The open source way is a form of thinking and collaborating within the open source community. This philosophy is based on intellectual freedom and core principles: transparency, collaboration, delivery, inclusion, and community. The exchange of ideas and software developed by communities has driven creative, scientific, and technological advancement in such industries as: education, government, law, health, and manufacturing. This movement created a way for a global community to collaborate, share, and assist both individual and group goals through source code.

Open source software is collaborative, relying on community production and peer review to use, change, and share source code with each other. Developers share insights, ideas, and code to create more innovative software solutions both collectively and individually. This scalable and flexible software ensures that anyone with the source codecan modify, enhance, and redistribute it for better reusability and accessibility. Open source software operates with the underlying principles of peer production and mass collaboration, creating more sustainable software development forend users.

Closed source software(CSS) is proprietary softwarethat is not distributed to the public. The software is encrypted, so only the original authors who created the code exclusively have rights to legally copy, modify, update, and edit the source code. Closed software imposes restrictions on what the end user can do with the application, preventing users from modifying, sharing, copying, or republishing the source code.

In additional to open and closed source, FOSS (Free/Open Source Software) allows users access to software from a more philosophical perspective. Within FOSS, there is Free Software Foundation (FSF) to protect user freedoms and Open Source Initiative (OSI) to ensure the technical values of reliable software. There are a wide variety of free software licenses that can be used, modified, and sold commercially including: GPL, LGPL, and BSD licenses.

Some of the most popular open source software licenses include:

Original post:
What is open source software? | IBM

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated June 15, 2022 | Published July 21, 2021

Updated June 15, 2022

Published July 21, 2021

It's important to find software that can meet your requirements and deliver the functionality you desire. Open-source software can provide collaborative, effective and secure solutions for users. If you work in software development or a related field, its helpful to learn more about this type of software.

In this article, we provide an open-source software definition with examples, explain its advantages, list reasons to use it and clarify what open-source licenses are.

Open-source software is computer software that allows anyone to use, study, change and distribute it for any purpose. It is often very collaborative with community members releasing open-source iterations with improved features or fixed bugs.

The source code is code programmers can manipulate to change the functionality of an application or program. By inspecting, altering and enhancing the source code, programmers can release additional open-source software that meets an expanded set of use cases.

Open-source copywriters often release the software under a license that allows users to change or use the software however they choose and to install it on as many computers as they want. They can use the software for educational, domestic, commercial or public administration use.

Related: What Is Software Development?

Here are some examples of different open-source software offerings:

Linux operating system: Linux is one of the most widely supported operating systems. It's frequently used in computers, mainframes, smartphones, servers and embedded devices.

Apache web server application: Apache is a web server platform that's free and maintained by an open community of developers. The server stores data, processes requests and serves web assets in an easily queried format.

VCL media player: The VCL media player is a portable, open-source media player and streaming server. The program is compatible with mobile platforms and with various operating systems.

Google Android: Android is an open-source, mobile device operating system. Google released android's source code so users could access information and create variants of the operating system, accessories and port devices. Android releases its code to avoid failures within its programs.

LibreOffice: LibreOffice is the latest in a long line of open-source office suite programs. It includes several applications that handle word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, formula editing, flow charts and databases.

Firefox browser: The Firefox browser, or just Firefox, is an open-source web browser that uses the Gecko rendering engine, another open-source software, to display web pages.

WordPress: WordPress is a content management system with customizable themes, accessible features and plug-in architecture. Plug-in architecture is a system designed to support bundles that increase a program's functionality.

Related: 9 Open-Source Python Developer Tools (With Features)

Open-source software is important not only to software developers and coders but to other professionals as well. It encourages users to collaborate, modify and expand existing software. Conversely, proprietary, or closed source software, often uses source code that only one developer, team or business can see and control. Users can't build on the existing software or manipulate it to better suit their needs. With open-source software, people from a variety of professions and interests can benefit and develop alternative versions that they release back to the public.

Related: What Are Applications?

There are several benefits to using open-source software, including:

Open-source software invites users to change and incorporate programs into their own projects. This can create environments of collaboration and sharing because many can benefit from a program's expanded functionality. People who create, test, use and promote open-source programs make up the community surrounding software. Sometimes, community members form groups and meet-ups to collaborate on new software versions.

Related: 16 Open Source Data Profiling Tools (Plus Benefits)

Many people choose to use open-source software because it's easier for them to examine the source code, manipulate programs to suit their needs and alter pieces that don't work for them. Open-source software doesn't have pre-defined applications so users can apply the program to a variety of instances or for whatever purpose they choose. It's easy to find community members that want certain features as well, and you can collaborate and discuss how to improve the source code to use in certain circumstances.

Because anyone can use open source software, it's a great resource for people learning to become programmers. Programming students can study the code and learn how to design software of their own. It also makes it easier for them to share their work with others and receive feedback that can help them improve their skills. More experienced programmers can contribute to someone's work by pointing out bugs and helping to remedy errors so other students can learn from them.

Related: Understanding Different Software Testing Methodologies

Some users consider open-source software to be less prone to errors than closed-source software. Because so many people are reviewing and contributing to the software, they may be more likely to catch others' mistakes or missing pieces. Proprietary software sometimes only has one author or a team of authors. With less support and fewer people reviewing the source code, closed-source programmers may miss things an open-source audience wouldn't.

Another reason some users prefer open-source software to proprietary software is that it's more secure. If they're working on long-term projects or revisiting an old project, they can be sure their tools stay functional and preserved. Because users often distribute their code publicly, their work won't disappear even if they stop working on it.

Developing programming and trouble-shooting skills for open source software programs can be valuable for employers. Some employers require their applicants to have experience working on open-source software. Some professions may use open-source software in their operations and others may request you possess the skills needed to work in specific programs. Learning about different software can help you bolster your resume and attract the attention of employers.

Related: How To Create a Software Testing Resume

If youre using any type of software for your work, its important to understand what open-source and closed-source software is and the main differences. The primary trait of each is who can use them. While open-source software has source code thats free to use by anyone, closed-source, or proprietary software, has source code thats only available to a specific team or organization. Here are other differences between open- and closed-source software:

Open-source software is available for free or at a low cost for licensing. The cost of closed-source software varies based on factors such as scale, users, features and length of use. To use closed-source software, you may be required to buy a license and agree to terms of use.

With open-source software, youre able to manipulate and adjust the source code to fit your specific needs. There may be some limitations based on the open-source license you have and the provider may require a professional, such as a developer, who can manipulate the code. You cant change closed-source software in-house. Instead, you can make requests to the proprietary owners to address issues such as bugs.

Unlike closed-source software, open-source often doesnt come with support teams to aid you or answer questions. Open-source users often require their expert team or rely on online forums to find answers. Closed-source software has support teams to address issues you may have with the software.

Related: What Are Support Technicians?

Anyone can view the code for open-source software, which can increase its security because there are more people available to identify and correct issues within the code. Using closed-source software, you can't fix bugs yourself but you receive security in knowing that other users cant manipulate the code. While using either type, your information remains secure.

Typically, closed-source software is more user-friendly, but open-source software can be easier to use for certain tasks. The usability also depends on the proficiency of the user for either type of software. Since users pay for closed-source software, the owners prioritize optimizing the user experience.

Related: Customer Experience vs. User Experience: What's the Difference?

If your team has the expertise, you can create new features with open-source software. However, if you want updates or require new features with closed-source software, you must request these features from the proprietary owners. Being able to make upgrades and customize the software for your goals is a major benefit of using open-source software.

Open-source licenses allow users to use open-source software for whatever purpose they want. The licenses define the way users can employ, evaluate, change and release software. Some open-source licenses, called copyleft licenses, grant users free use with the stipulation that they have to share their source code alongside their version of the program. Other licenses prevent programmers from charging licensing fees on the program versions they create.

A common misconception about open-source software is that it's free. This isn't always true. Software programmers can charge for software they've created or altered. Many times, however, they choose to provide services and support at a cost rather than the software itself. This can help them generate revenue even if the open-source license requires them to release their source code when they sell the software. In these cases, they charge to help users install, use and troubleshoot the software.

Related: 5 Types of Software Licenses To Know

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article is affiliated with Indeed.

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What Is Open-Source Software? (Definition and Examples)

If you are on the look for software that will make your life easier, in even the smallest way you have stumbled upon the right article. But here is what makes the following list even better, they are all free! Read on to find out more.

When you get a new laptop or desktop computer, it is customary to install a few applications from the play store that you know you will need in the long term.

Some of these options are paid for either in bulk or as per usage by the user. Another type of software, that is used by millions of people across the globe is called open-source software.

The use of this ranges over a plethora of applications and fields and is available for anyone to use at any time.

But before we get into the list of some of the best options out there, let us first understand what exactly open-source software means.

Open-Source Software (OSS) is unlike general software which has source code that only the creators or someone with explicit permission can modify and utilize.This type of software is known as proprietary or closed source software.

On the contrary, the open-source software has a source code that any user can examine, modify, and improve.

The source code of any software is the part that the users usually dont see. Accessing it is useful only to computer programmers who can manipulate and run the code to change or fix how it works.

The open-source software available can also be repurposed by any individual or company to build on and develop new software that can also be distributed amongst users.

The open-source software brings people together in a sense of community over the internet and although some spend hours, days, or even years contributing to the software, they might not earn any return from it if it is available solely as only open-source software.

To access any information on the internet, it is necessary to have a web browser some of which are incredibly popular.

However, with the pressing issues of privacy, security, and data collection, it is important to explore other options and see what suits you best.

The following options of open-source software and easy to find and download and range across new to old in the market.

There are several paid options available on the market that seem to be the only option to keep up with the creative industry standard.

However, the following open-source software makes this free and easy. These are even used by professionals, so get started today and breakthrough any financial barriers that stood between you and your designing dreams!

3D modeling software is useful for a plethora of applications and can be used to simulate and develop many projects, ideas, and even businesses.

Finding the right tool can be slightly expensive since the paid software is more on the expensive side.

Here is a list of some open-source software that caters to the needs of several fields without compromising on the quality- whether you are a beginner or an advanced user.

With the development of content creators and many platforms to share even short videos as a way to fame video editing is a must-have tool in your box.

Good editing can be the difference between a poorly shot video and a viral masterpiece this ranges from lighting to transitions and even manipulation of individual frames.

If you are just getting started then one of the OSS listed below might be the first step to great skill and fun.

Although most operating systems come with a video player they may not support all video formats. This problem can easily be solved by using an open-source video player. Any one of the following is easy to procure and use, and are quite popular among users.

If you are into reading or writing, ebooks are the new popular way to go. However, if you are just getting into it, finding the right software might be a little difficult.

Given below are some open source options that you can download and use for free, starting now.

Streaming videos is an exponentially growing field that is of use to both professional and passion purposes. This includes content creators, influencers, start-up owners, among others who have something to share with the general public.

In addition to being a fun hobby, live streaming is also a profitable career opportunity if you find the right audience for it.

If you are ready to get started, or if you are on the lookout for a free-to-use software to shift to, below is a list that will help.

There is an abundant number of open source audio software options available for musicians, video makers, game makers.

So whether you are a professional, or just beginning, rest assured that the following list has a few software that will fit your purpose without costing you a dime.

If you are getting into programming, using a code editor could be highly beneficial to you.

While some IDEs come equipped with a code editor which takes care of the indentation and differentiating the elements, the following options are great light-weight alternatives.

If you want software that will help you create or open zip files- this is the right place to start. There are very popular software like Winrar available for compressing and extracting files but they are paid.

The following software options make this easy, free, and even includes some additional features.

Map software acts as an interface for users to read and write and contribute to mapping data. This is very popular in recent times, mainly for navigational purposes.

Although not all maps that we use, some map software is actually open source and is developed on data collected from the users globally.

Game Engine is a software that implements game architecture and framework to both professional and amateur game creators along with a set of features.

This is used to create, visualize and build video games quickly and efficiently. Using an open-source game engine offers customizable features made to fit each individual user.

Below is a list of the best options if this is something you are interested in.

Virtual Machine (VM) software provides an environment that emulates a computer system of the same or different operating system like the one it is running on.

This is a great substitute for an alternative machine as they perform all the functions that another computer would perform.

Following is a list of some open-source Virtual Machine software that are great options if you are looking for one.

The umbrella term NMS itself spreads across several applications.

Some software may be useful for monitoring and tracking network traffic and its trend, while other software may respond solely to particular events based on pre-set triggers.

If you are looking to perform any of these functions you are sure to find a fully functional software that is not only useful but also open source and hence free to use. Following are a few options that may fit what you are looking for.

While Windows and Mac remain the most popular options for operating systems, they are not for everyone. So if you are looking for something else to try out the following options might suit your needs a bit better.

They are all free and open source.

Torrent client is a software used to download files (especially large ones) from something called a peer to peer system. This software allows the users to find specific files, download them at high speeds, and manage a file list easily.

The process of creating a model of a proposed system or operation is known as simulation. Some software is used for niche application simulations that mirror a real-world performance of an action.

Considering the sciences, physics simulation software can aid research and development. Below is the list of open source software that you can utilize for physics simulations.

Whether you are looking for software for personal or professional purposes to create, edit, manage and organize documents doing so without any additional costs can be great.

Although many people still use Microsoft 365, given below is a list of open-source office software that will cater to all your needs, for free.

You may be interested in these topics:

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Notice: This article is updated now with even more OSS, and the credit goes to r/software subreddit for helping me to improve this list.

Members also pointed out that some software that is mentioned in the list is not open source, but as they are completely free to use, so Im keeping them.

The above lists include the best open-source software currently available across several applications. However, this is in no way an exhaustive list, given the number of open-source software out there.

If you have a niche application in mind and are wondering if there might be software for that, that will not dent your wallet you can be almost certain that there is something for you just an internet search away.

Always take a minute to appreciate the creators of this software that do so more for the good of its users than for any personal monetary benefit, and if you can look into donating towards further development.

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55+ Best Open Source PC Software for almost Everything

A new study reveals that while 80 percent of enterprises are using open source software (OSS) -- set to rise to 99 percent in the next year -- a mere one percent say they aren't worried about security.

The report from Synopsys, based on research by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), shows that in response to high profile supply chain attacks 73 percent of respondents say they have increased their efforts significantly to secure their organizations' software supply chain.

Steps taken include the adoption of some form of multi-factor authentication technology (33 percent), investment in application security testing controls (32 percent), and improved asset discovery to update their organization's attack surface inventory (30 percent). Despite those efforts, 34 percent of organizations report that their applications have been exploited due to a known vulnerability in open source software within the last 12 months, with 28 percent having suffered a previously unknown zero-day exploit found in open source software.

Pressure to improve software supply chain risk management has shone a spotlight on software Bills of Materials (SBOMs). But exploding OSS usage and lackluster OSS management has made the compilation of SBOMs complex -- the ESG research shows that 39 percent of survey respondents marked this task as a challenge of using OSS.

"As organizations are witnessing the level of potential impact that a software supply chain security vulnerability or breach can have on their business through high-profile headlines, the prioritization of a proactive security strategy is now a foundational business imperative," says Jason Schmitt, general manager of the Synopsys Software Integrity Group. "While managing open source risk is a critical component of managing software supply chain risk in cloud-native applications, we must also recognize that the risk extends beyond open source components. Infrastructure-as-code, containers, APIs, code repositories -- the list goes on and on and must all be accounted for to ensure a holistic approach to software supply chain security."

The findings also suggest that although developer-focused security and 'shifting left' -- a concept focused on enabling developers to conduct security testing earlier in the development lifecycle -- is growing among organizations building cloud-native applications, 97 percent of organizations have experienced a security incident involving their cloud-native applications within the last 12 months.

Faster release cycles are also presenting security challenges. Application development (41 percent) and DevOps (45 percent) teams agree that developers often skip established security processes, while a majority of application developers (55 percent) agree that security teams lack visibility into development processes.

You can find out more on the Synopsys site.

Photo Credit: sunabesyou/Shutterstock

Link:
80 percent of enterprises use open source software and nearly all worry about security - BetaNews

The U.S. military routinely engages in red-teamingsearching for weaknesses in its war plansby having its own members role-play as adversaries. Software security researchers also red-team, using the same adversary mindset to conduct penetration testing and to find and fix flaws in software.

Unfortunately, theres an aspect of modern U.S. military operations that has so far escaped this devils-advocate approach: the open-source software that underpins military missions.

The secret of all modern software is that it is mostly open-sourcethat is, code created by enthusiasts (and companies) around the world and released for anyone to study and use. Whether its your iPhone app, military mission-planning software, spy-plane computer, or big-data analytic tool, its open-source software all the way down.

Building apps with open-source components reduces time and cost. And by exposing its source code, open-source software invites the world to find and even fix the inevitable bugs. But open source software, like all software, has security flaws. Nearly a decade ago, the Heartbleed OpenSSL bug exposed information such as credit card details for nearly all web users. More recently, the log4j flaw let attackers easily take over control of affected computers, ranging from Minecraft servers to software from Apple and Amazon.

It is also the case that malicious actors can and do tamper with open-source software. Just the known cases of open-source software supply-chain compromises number in the thousands.

Fortunately, the militarys red-teaming instincts can help reduce the threat. First, the U.S. military ought to undertake a software census to understand the open-source software components embedded into the software it uses. A good model is a recent Harvard University-Linux Foundation analysis for corporate entities.

Second, the military should red-team the open-source software components on which it has become dependent. The military could fund organizations like the Open Source Technology Improvement Fund that have a track record of exactly this type of work. In addition, the military could assign its own personnel to help with this task, building the software security skills of its own members. The military could even directly assist the Open Source Security Foundation with a nascent related initiative called Alpha-Omega. Alternatively, open-source software bug bounties, paid by the military, could spur security researchers around the world to find and report bugs.

Third, the security bugs identified should be fixed and fixed quickly. Military members with expertise in software can provide bug fixes directly to the open-source software maintainers. The military could also fund third parties or the maintainers directly to fix the bugs. At the very least, the security flaws should be discreetly reported to the relevant open-source software projects.

Fourth, rinse and repeat. The open-source software that the military depends on will change. Additionally, open-source software projects are constantly evolving, fixing some bugs and inevitably introducing new bugs too. These facts mean that this whole process ought to be repeated periodically.

In the wake of log4j, the open source software vulnerability that led one observer to declare that the internet is on fire, the Open Source Security Foundation recently proposed red-teaming 200 major open-source projects a year at a cost of roughly $40 million a year. For the military, thats budget dust. In short, the military could reduce the security vulnerabilities lurking in its software, improve aggregate software security for all Americans and humanity, and increase the probability of mission success, all with an investment in open source software red-teaming.

The military tries to never go into battle without red-teaming its plan. Its time to apply that same technique to open-source software.

John Speed Meyers is a security scientist at Chainguard. Zack Newman is a software engineer at Chainguard. Jacobo McGuire is a summer policy research intern at Chainguard.

Original post:
The US Military Should Red-Team Open Source Code - Defense One

Boeing to lead New Aerospace Working Group

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the ELISA (Enabling Linux in Safety Applications) Project announced that Boeing has joined as a Premier member, marking its commitment to Linux and its effective use in safety critical applications. Hosted by the Linux Foundation, ELISA is an open source initiative that aims to create a shared set of tools and processes to help companies build and certify Linux-based safety-critical applications and systems.

"Boeing is modernizing software to accelerate innovation and provide greater value to our customers," said Jinnah Hosein, Vice President of Software Engineering at the Boeing Company. "The demand for safe and secure software requires rapid iteration, integration, and validation. Standardizing around open source products enhanced for safety-critical avionics applications is a key aspect of our adoption of state-of-the-art techniques and processes."

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. It'salready using Linux in current avionics systems, including commercial systems certified to DO-178C Design Assurance Level D. Joining the ELISA Project will help pursue the vision for generational change in software development at Boeing. Additionally, Boeing will work with the ELISA Technical Steering Committee (TSC) to launch a new Aerospace Working Group that will work in parallel with the other working groups like automotive, medical devices, and others.

"We want to improve industry-standard tools related to certification and assurance artifacts in order to standardize improvements and contribute new features back to the open source community. We hope to leverage open source tooling (such as a cloud-based DevSecOps software factory) and industry standards to build world class software and provide an environment that attracts industry leaders to drive cultural change at Boeing," said Hosein.

Linux is used in all major industries because it can enable faster time to market for new features and take advantage of the quality of the code development processes. Launched in February 2019, ELISA works with Linux kernel and safety communities to agree on what should be considered when Linux is used in safety-critical systems. The project has several dedicated working groups that focus on providing resources for system integrators to apply and use to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively on their systems.

"Linux has a history of being a reliable and stable development platform that advances innovation for a wide range of industries," said Kate Stewart, Vice President of Dependable Embedded Systems at the Linux Foundation. "With Boeing's membership, ELISA will start a new focus in the aerospace industry, which is already using Linux in selected applications. We look forward to working with Boeing and others in the aerospace sector, to build up best practices for working with Linux in this space."

Other ELISA Project members include ADIT, AISIN AW CO., Arm, Automotive Grade Linux, Automotive Intelligence and Control of China, Banma, BMW Car IT GmbH, Codethink, Elektrobit, Horizon Robotics, Huawei Technologies, Intel, Lotus Cars, Toyota, Kuka, Linuxtronix. Mentor, NVIDIA, SUSE, Suzuki, Wind River, OTH Regensburg, Toyota and ZTE.

Upcoming ELISA Events

The ELISA Project has several upcoming events for the community to learn more or to get involved including:

For more information about ELISA, visit https://elisa.tech/.

About the Linux Foundation

Founded in 2000, the Linux Foundation and its projects are supported by more than 2,950 members. The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, Hyperledger, RISC-V, and more. The Linux Foundation's methodology focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: http://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact:Maemalynn Meanor[emailprotected]

SOURCE ELISA Project

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Boeing joins the ELISA Project as a Premier Member to Strengthen its Commitment to Safety-Critical Applications - PR Newswire

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Hybrid cloud used to be seen as a waypoint on the transition to an entirely-cloud-based future. But it's becoming increasingly clear that it's likely to be the default destination for many organizations, and this leaves them facing tough choices about how they manage their tech budgets and their tech workforces.

Research conducted by analyst firm IDC and commissioned by Red Hat, points out that enterprises are "under tremendous pressure when it comes to modern application deployment." While businesses are demanding tech teams develop complex applications, the entire industry faces a shortage of developers.

So it's all the more frustrating when those skilled developers and other specialists are forced to spend their time maintaining infrastructure and legacy tech, rather than focusing on delivering modern applications, or introducing key new technologies such as data science and machine learning.

The cloud ostensibly offers a quick path to new technologies and more easily manageable infrastructure. But the reality is more nuanced. Organizations will inevitably have legacy applications which are unsuitable for lifting and shifting onto the cloud. And data sovereignty and resiliency issues can also force companies to keep data and infrastructure confined to particular locations or regions.

Working with multiple cloud providers may address some of the geographic coverage or sovereignty concerns, but can be more complex, with different providers having different tooling or technology offerings, for example.

While going all in with a single cloud provider might provide more consistency in terms of tooling and services, concerns about vendor lock-in mean many organizations remain wary of trusting their entire operation to a single vendor and its associated software stack.

All of which has led to something of an industry consensus that hybrid cloud will be the preferred operating model for most organizations for the foreseeable future.

As IDC points out, "for developers to create applications for multi-cloud environments, the major challenge lies in inconsistency across complex technology ecosystems. The opportunity therein lies in abstraction of those complex technology ecosystems to reduce friction for developers and enable high availability of applications in production."

That generally leads to a broader reappraisal of how applications are managed and developed. If an organization needs to retain some capacity on-prem or maintain legacy code or datastores, it should still be able to take advantage of the cloud or at least enjoy a cloud-like experience. At the same time, when applications are developed for the cloud, they should be designed from the beginning to be portable between on-prem environments and the customer's choice of clouds without the need for refactoring, or for developers to retrain on new tools or platforms.

This creates the need for an "open" hybrid cloud, an IT architecture that offers workload portability, orchestration, and management across environments, including on-prem and one or more clouds. This means development teams and their businesses can utilize the optimal solution for a given workload or task, to the point of choosing a specific cloud provider for an AI workload, for example.

In practice, this has meant applications have become containerized, with an orchestration layer taking care of container management and deployment. Together with the use of APIs to connect containers and services, and modern development pipelines developed around continuous integration and deployment, this makes it easier to update and modernize applications certainly compared to traditional "monoliths".

Kubernetes may have become the default when it comes to open-source container orchestration but it can be a challenge to implement. And developers will still need other tooling, and to take care of security and authentication issues, and the underlying infrastructure.

Of course, major cloud platforms offer their own services and native tooling. Sometimes these are clearly proprietary and sometimes they do appear in sync with wider trends in open source. But this can mask divergences between cloud platforms' offerings and upstream projects, which mean features and tooling differ between providers. In some instances, license changes within open source projects have resulted in cloud providers offering commercial services based on an earlier version.

Both scenarios will be a concern for development teams who want to make their applications as open as possible, to ensure they can be as portable as possible.

It's worth noting that in the latest version of Red Hat's State of Enterprise Open Source report, 80 percent of IT leaders said they expected to increase their use of enterprise open source software, while over three quarters considered it "instrumental" in enabling them to take advantage of hybrid cloud architectures.

But when it comes to adopting containers, almost half of those same IT leaders worried that they do not have the necessary skills (43 percent) and almost as many were concerned that a lack of the necessary development staff or resources will hold them back.

Favoring open source software should mean that companies have a broader talent pool to recruit from because so many teams, or individual developers, already have a strong bias towards open source software. Those preferences often influence the tools and platforms developers want to work with, the projects they want to work on, and even the employers they will consider joining.

The key question then is how can developers and development teams get access to a common application and service software development and deployment experience no matter where they are working, and without the configuration and management headaches that can eat up precious developer bandwidth.

IDC identifies the cloud services model as the best approach to enabling organizations to "shift those valuable resources to making software that competitively differentiates, brings in revenue, and improves business operations empowering developers to do more of what they want to be doing."

That's also the approach Red Hat has taken by putting OpenShift, its enterprise container platform, at the heart of a broad portfolio of managed cloud services. OpenShift provides container orchestration across on-prem, private, and public clouds. While most of OpenShift is self- managed (including versions for the public cloud), there are also managed versions available on AWS, Azure, GCP, and IBM Cloud. This delivers extended support, as well as tested and verified fixes for upstream container platforms like Kubernetes. It also means validated integrations, for storage and third-party plug-ins, for example, and software defined networking.

It also provides a full range of additional integrated services that are essential for developers building cloud native applications. These include OpenShift API management, which allows developers to configure, publish and monitor APIs for their cloud-native applications.

Similarly OpenShift Streams for Apache Kafka lets developers exploit real time data streams while offloading the management of the underlying infrastructure. And that allows them to enable the real time, analytics driven and scalable applications which are needed to power modern ecommerce or the sort of instant decision making or fraud detection that businesses now expect.

In addition, OpenShift Database Access offers on-demand data access, sharing, storage, synchronization and analysis. OpenShift Service Registry allows teams to publish, discover and reuse artifacts built on these services, which further accelerates the development process. And OpenShift Data Science helps machine learning and AI specialists to build their models, and ease the deployment of AI and ML applications to production.

Customers using the managed versions of OpenShift on the public cloud also get access to Red Hat's global Site Reliability Engineering team, which provides the proactive management and automated scaling that underpins resilient cloud native applications.

There are other benefits too. Red Hat's dynamic approach to the underlying infrastructure ensures that customers are only using the capacity they need when they need it, for example. So scaling up an application around a major event or key business period can be automated, with resource provisioning levels returning to their previous state immediately once the surge in demand has passed.

Because these are all managed services, enterprises and other organizations don't need to allocate responsibility for the day-to-day management of the platform onto their dev or ops teams. Developers can get resources up and running quickly, without the need to wait for infrastructure, or indeed, the experts to manage it.

That's important when it comes to addressing some of the key challenges organizations typically face in forging ahead with their digital transformation - i.e. overcoming the in-house skills gap and the technical debt which sometimes arises when overworked developers rush to finalize an application only to spend more precious time refactoring it later.

A managed service also means organizations get to enjoy the three key tactical benefits for development teams identified by IDC. Firstly, it allows development teams to "get out of the business of infrastructure administration", and to focus on developing features that deliver value for the business, and for end users.

Multi-cloud and hybrid environments already account for the bulk of the market, with OpenShift designed to provide the common platform that enables flexible applications and services that can work seamlessly together across both on- and off-prem infrastructure. That delivers a consistency and abstract complexity which makes developers more productive, while their applications are more likely to be more resilient and fault tolerant as a result.

Last, but definitely not least, it provides a consistent experience that simply makes for happier developers.

If resources including Dev and Ops team members are not being squandered and budgeting becomes more transparent, surely this keeps the CEO and CFO happy too?

Sponsored by Red Hat.

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Looking for simplicity in the cloud? The future is going to be open and hybrid - The Register

Lisle, IL, Aug. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) and the Linux Foundation welcome Jefferson Braswell as the new Executive Director of the openIDL Project.

AAIS is excited about the expansion of openIDL in the insurance space and the addition of Jefferson as Executive Director signals even more strength and momentum to the fast-developing project, said Ed Kelly, AAIS Executive Director. We are happy to continue to work with the Linux Foundation to help affect meaningful, positive change for the insurance ecosystem.

openIDL is a Linux Foundation Open Governance Network and the first of its kind in the insurance industry, said Daniela Barbosa, General Manager of Blockchain, Healthcare and Identity at the Linux Foundation. It leverages open source code and community governance for objective transparency and accountability among participants with strong executive leadership helping shepherd this type of open governance networks. Jeff Braswells background and experience in financial standards initiatives and consortium building aligns very well with openIDLs next growth and expansion period.

Braswell has been successfully providing leading-edge business solutions for information-intensive enterprises for over 30 years. As a founding Director, he recently completed a 6-year term on the Board of the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), where he chaired the Technology, Operations and Standards Committee. He is also the Chair of the Algorithmic Contract Types Unified Standards Foundation (ACTUS), and he has actively participated in international financial data standards initiatives.

Previously, as Co-Founder and President of Berkeley-based Risk Management Technologies (RMT), Braswell designed and led the successful implementation of advanced, firm-wide risk management solutions integrated with enterprise-wide data management tools. They were used by many of the worlds largest financial institutions, including Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse, Chase, PNC, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Mellon, Wachovia, Union Bank and ANZ.

We appreciate the foundation that AAIS laid for openIDL, and I look forward to bringing my expertise and knowledge to progress this project forward, shared Braswell. Continuing the work with the Linux Foundation to positively impact insurance services through open-source technology is exciting and will surely change the industry for the better moving forward.

openIDL, an open source, distributed ledger platform, infuses efficiency, transparency and security into regulatory reporting.With openIDL, insurers fulfill requirements while retaining the privacy of their data. Regulators have the transparency and insights they need, when they need them.Initially developed by AAIS, expressly for its Members, openIDL is now being further advanced by the Linux Foundation as an open-source ecosystem for the entire insurance industry.

ABOUT AAIS

Established in 1936, AAIS serves the Property & Casualty insurance industry as the only national nonprofit advisory organization governed by its Member insurance carriers. AAIS delivers tailored advisory solutions including best-in-class policy forms, rating information and data management capabilities for commercial lines, inland marine, farm & agriculture and personal lines insurers. Its consultative approach, unrivaled customer service and modern technical capabilities underscore a focused commitment to the success of its members. AAIS also serves as the administrator of openIDL, the insurance industrys regulatory blockchain, providing unbiased governance within existing insurance regulatory frameworks. For more information about AAIS, please visit http://www.aaisonline.com.

ABOUT THE LINUX FOUNDATION

Founded in 2000, the Linux Foundation and its projects are supported by more than 2,950 members. The Linux Foundation is the worlds leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the worlds infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, Hyperledger, RISC-V, and more. The Linux Foundations methodology focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

ABOUT openIDL

openIDL (open Insurance Data Link) is an open blockchain network that streamlines regulatory reporting and provides new insights for insurers, while enhancing timeliness, accuracy, and value for regulators. openIDL is the first open blockchain platform that enables the efficient, secure, and permissioned-based collection and sharing of statistical data. For more information, please visit http://www.openidl.org.

John Greene American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) 630.457.3238 johng@aaisonline.com Dan Whiting Linux Foundation 202.531.9091 dwhiting@linuxfoundation.org

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AAIS & The Linux Foundation Welcome Jefferson Braswell as openIDL Project Executive Director - The Bakersfield Californian

Wicked Good Development is dedicated to the future of open source. This space is to learn about the latest in the developer community and talk shop with open source software innovators and experts in the industry.

Ax Sharma, a security researcher at Sonatype and tech journalist at large, joins Kadi and Omar for his monthly malware update. Ax breaks down the latest on protestware and ransomware.

Wicked Good Development is available wherever you find your podcasts. Visit our page on Spotifys anchor.fm

Kadi 0:10 Hi, my name is Kadi Grigg, and welcome to another episode of Wicked Good Development, where we talk shop with OSS innovators, experts in industry and dig into really whats happening in the developer community.

Omar 0:21 Hola, my name is Omar, and Ill be your co-host for Wicked Good Development and today, we have an awesome Ax Sharma update.

Ax 0:35 Yes, hi, Kadi and Omar, everyone. Thanks for having me here. Im Ax Sharma, a security researcher and a tech journalist. I just love to analyze malware and novel vulnerabilities and write about them. So here I am with you today.

Kadi 0:50Well, thanks for coming back on, Ax. Lets dive in. The last time I spoke with you, I believe we were both reporting on the Log4Shell or Spring4Shell event that happened back in April. Can you bring us up to date on what youve seen happening in the cybersecurity space since (Read more...)

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Wicked Good Development Episode 13: Hacks and Ax, July Edition - Security Boulevard

Having previously upset software developers by implementing a ban on the sale of open source software in its app store, Microsoft has reversed its decision.

The company says that it has listened to feedback -- which was vocal and negative -- and has updated the Microsoft Stores Policies, removing references to open source pricing. Microsoft has also clarified just why it put the ban in place.

See also:

The policy changes that effectively banned the sale of open source came into force last month, but Microsoft has already been forced to backtrack in the face of mounting criticism.

In a series of tweets announcing the latest policy changes that remove this ban, Microsoft's Giorgio Sardo says that the previous policy was intended to "help protect customers from misleading product listings":

He goes on to say that Microsoft wants to help support developers and to give them flexibility:

In a policy history update, Microsoft makes a brief explanation of the change:

Update to 10.8.7 to remove language related to open-source or other free software.

The latest version of the Microsoft Store policy document can be seen here.

Image credit: yu_photo / Shutterstock

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Microsoft changes its policy against the sale of open source software in the Microsoft Store - BetaNews