LSC 555 INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Webliography: Open Source Software
by
Ginger Richards
| General Information | E-Journals | Articles | Open Source Software Sites |
- General Information
Non-Profit Organization that provides information about open source software and open source licenses.
This site offers quality reference resources and contains multiple links for further information about open source software.
This site is not visually appealing, but the content is coherent, thorough, and current.
- Free Software (Open Source)
An introductory lesson in open source software.
It provides examples, definitions, companies, personalities, literature, and other useful information.
The text on this site is cluttered and the links are in awkward places, but the site serves as a practical introduction to the topic.
- Open Source Development Network
Supplies updated information and links to several resources dedicated to open source technology.
It offers easy access to other open source sites, such as Freshmeat, Slashdot, and ThinkGeek, and it presents updated news and current events involving open source issues.
The content is extensive and geared more toward a technology-savvy audience and the text throughout the site is very small.
- Open Source Resources from Developer.com
Provides a variety of resources, articles, tutorials, and an open source archive that contains information from as early as 1998.
The strength of this site is in its current articles and highlighted tutorials.
However, the content of this site is quite cluttered and it contains multiple advertisements.
Library Open Source Software
Contains an extensive amount of information regarding open source software for libraries.
Provides articles, news, and bulletin boards with multiple resources.
Although many of the news bulletins were not up to date, this site is contains many useful features.
E-Journals
Frequently updated news articles on Linux and open source software systems.
This site provides news, reviews, opinions, analysis, and is a great source for updated information regarding open source software.
However, the site contains distracting advertisements, small text, and a confusing layout.
Linux Journal
Journal for the Linux community that contains articles, downloads, updates, and current news flashes.
This site is useful for those that are currently using Linux or those interested in Linux and other open source software systems.
The content is directed toward a computer-savvy audience and may be daunting for those unfamiliar with OSS systems.
Library
Great source for news, trends, and highlights surrounding the library community.
Archives of previous articles contain information about library open source software.
Library Journal is an excellent resource, but it may be difficult to find specific information within the vast amount of content featured on the web site.
Information Today
Excellent resource for information concerning library technology.
Contains multiple articles, conference information, and news stories about libraries and open source software.
The content is high-quality and well labeled with dates, however this site can be overwhelming with its vast amount of information and archives.
- Biblio Tech Review
Supplies many resources, articles, and information regarding the library automation and technology industry.
Links to current and past issues and includes a relevance score with the search feature.
Some of the information on this site is not very well organized and some links are located in obscure places.
Articles
By Ferina Manecksha
Compares and contrasts the positive and negative aspects of using open source software.
Ferina Manecksha presents several important issues involved in using open source software, such as Windows compatibility, difficulty in repair procedures, and difficulty running computer peripherals.
However, Manecksha does not give examples of specific open source software and their advantages and disadvantages.
Open Source Software: A History
By David Bretthauer
Presents an overview of the history of open source software, specifically that of GNU, Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), and Linux.
Bretthauer is very thorough in his portrayal of the history of OSS and of these specific systems and their developers.
However, technical jargon is used frequently in this article and may be difficult for some readers to comprehend.
Code Name: Mainstream: Can 'Open Source' Bridge the Software Gap?
By Steve Lohr
A good introduction and overview of the philosophies and methods employed by open source software systems.
This article is geared toward a mainstream audience and provides excellent background information and examples.
Unfortunately, some of the information in this article is outdated because it was written at a time that open source systems were still in their infancy, however it offers a unique perspective.
Library
By Roy Tennant
Provides an overview of open source systems and tools that are designed for library use.
Tennant supplies links and background information for each system and provides resources for further research.
However, the article is brief; therefore further research is necessary to gain a better grasp of the topic.
- Possibilities for Open Source Software in Libraries
By Eric Lease Morgan
Illustrates the possibilities for open source software in libraries and how these systems can be used to enhance digital library collections and services.
References several helpful articles and exhibits different perspectives from experts in the industry.
Because this article is based on a presentation, some important information may have been omitted.
- The Case for Open Source Software in the Library Market
By David Dorman
Explains the issues surrounding the library software market and how these issues present a valid case for the use of open source software systems in libraries.
Dorman presents current trends and emphasizes important concerns surrounding these issues.
This site does not provide links for further research.
- Getting open source into public libraries
By Bob Kerr
Presents concerns over the use of open source software CDs that are donated to public libraries.
Kerr provides various perspectives to this issue and similar issues and also provides related links.
Unfortunately, some bright advertisements featured on this web page acts as a distraction to the content.
- The Open Source Option
By Frank Cervone
Explains what open source software is and gives reasons why librarians should, and shouldn't use open source software.
Cervone provides and excellent list of guidelines for evaluating open source and he supplies many valuable links and lists the criteria for open source software.
The vast amount of information provided in this article may be daunting for readers unfamiliar with the topic.
Open Source Software Sites
- Linux
Contains articles, software information, updates, news, and many other informative resources pertaining to Linux software.
This site offers many resources and services for open source users and those seeking information about open source systems.
The content, however, can be difficult to follow for users that are unfamiliar with the jargon.
- OpenBSD
Provides information about the software and guides for users.
Easy to navigate and supplies valuable information about the software.
The content is esoteric and the instructions on this site would be difficult for many users to understand.
- GNU
Offers the background information about The GNU Project and links to the Free Software Foundation web site.
Provides users with a free software directory that is organized by category.
The content of this site is a bit cluttered and the hypertext is small.
Web Browsers
Provides information about the Mozilla project and shows previews of Mozilla software.
Clean, organized, and easy to follow with excellent graphics and easy-to-read text.
Some of the news links take some scrolling in order to find them.
Office Suites
Supplies access to downloads and information about Open Office software.
Most of the links on this site are easy to access and the site is easy to navigate.
Some text is cluttered and the text is not very easy to read on this site.
- KOffice
Provides links and information to the various components of the KOffice integrated office suite.
Site contains many accessible links in a clean and organized format.
Some download instructions are confusing on this site.
Library Software
Open source integrated library system made in New Zealand by Katipo Communications Ltd.
Provides test drive, installation and support, downloads, and several other resources.
some elements of this web site, such as the test drive, are confusing and difficult to use.
- DSpace
According to the web site, DSpace is a digital library system to capture, store, index, preserve, and redistribute the intellectual output of a university’s research faculty in digital formats.
The site is clean and organized and the links to specific information about the software are easy to follow.
The contents of the system documentation on this site are very long and may intimidate some users.
- Greenstone
Greenstone is a suite of software for building and distributing digital library collections.
The site includes documentation, examples, downloads, support, and frequently asked questions.
Although this site is easy to navigate and very well organized, the information supplied is presented in a small vertical space.
- OCLC's Open Source Software Projects
Information is provided about OCLC's current open source research projects.
Links are organized and listed in tables and the content is easy to follow.
However, some links are repeated and can be confusing to the user.
- MyLibrary@NCState
According to the web site, MyLibrary is a user-driven, customizable information service. By telling us a bit about yourself, MyLibrary allows you to create a portable Web page listing information resources available from the Libraries.
This site supplies several links and customized searches that guide the user to necessary information.
The most difficult aspect of using this site is the small text and confusing layout.
- MARC/Perl
This software is for manipulating, outputting and converting bibliographic records in the MARC format.
Downloads, documentation, a description of the software, a test drive using the web interface, and examples of current users are listed on this web site.
However, all information is listed on the homepage rather than through links and the content is cluttered.
Created by Ginger Richards for class assignment
© Ginger Richards 2004