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9 Ways To Avoid Open Source Pitfalls

(INFORMATION WEEK) - Microsoft recently rather sheepishly said it would open source its Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, a utility that lets users create bootable copies of Windows 7 on flash drives and DVDs. The company didn’t really want to do this, but there wasn’t much choice once developers discovered that the software was built using open source code protected by licenses based on General Public License v2, which requires that the source code be made available to anyone who receives the object code. Microsoft isn’t alone: The Software Freedom Law Center has identified one new GPL violation like this per day since late last summer, says Bradley Kuhn, the center’s technical director.

Neither occurrence should be a surprise to anyone who follows open source software. I’ve been engaged in a wide range of open source software projects and communities, including the Android OpenMoko, and Maemo Linux-based mobile platforms. Violations are commonplace. However, if you follow the nine tips I present here, you can avoid problems, while still benefiting from what the open source software community has to offer.

1. Ask Why, Rather Than Why Not

It’s always important to know why you’re pursuing a particular course of action, and using open source software is no exception. Far too often, I hear “Why not?” as the answer when asking CIOs their motivations for engaging with open source communities. Using open source software doesn’t just affect a company’s R&D organization; it touches functions throughout the business as well, so it’s vital to have a clear understanding of why leveraging open source software is the right option.

This also helps shape individual actions, provides developers with guidance, and helps the company shape its activities with the open source community.

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