UNIVERSITI PENDIDIKAN SULTAN IDRIS

FAKULTI TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI

KPT 5033 :
TEKNOLOGI DAN INOVASI DALAM PENDIDIKAN

Tittle:

THE ISSUES OF USING OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE IN

EDUCATION

By :

ROSIADI BIN TAJUDIN

L20081002254
AT46D (PRODUKSI MULTIMEDIA)

KEMAR BIN MOHD NOH Instructor:

L20081002291
AT49D (BAHASA ARAB) EN.
AHMAD NURZID BIN ROSLI

GROUP DPLI, SEMESTER 1, 2008

Table of Contents

Page
 Introduction 1
1.0 What Is The Term ‘Source’ Means? 1
2.0 The Concept of Open Source 2
3.0 Differences between Free Software and Open Source 2
4.0 Example of Open Source Technologies 3
5.0 The Issues of Using Open Source In Education 5
Conclusion 8
Bibliography

Introduction
This essay is written to give some knowledge about Open Source software, the
concept of open source software, the difference between open source software and
free software and also the issues of using open source software in education.

1.0 What Is The Term ‘Source’ Means?

Before we look at Open Source, we need to look at what source actually is. Any
software that runs on a computer is created using a programming language. These
languages were created by humans as a way to tell the computer what to do. These
instructions to the computer are known as a program’s ‘source’. Before the computer
can run these instructions, it has to compile the source code. Compiling is the process
of turning a programming language into binary form (a string of 1s and 0s).
Computers only understand 1s and 0s because at their fundamental level, they are just
electrical switches that are either on (1) or off (0). This might seem like a restriction
until we take in to account that modern computers can make millions and even
billions of these manipulations in one second. Instead of communicating with the
computer in binary, it is many times easier to use a human created language and then
translate (compile) it. C++, Java, and Python are all examples of different
programming languages.

For example, the simple task of printing the words “Hello World” to the screen
can be done in many different ways. There are many programming languages out
there, which all have their strengths, weaknesses, and purposes. However, they all are
designed to do one thing, take your directions and turn them into a form the computer
understands. To better appreciate how complicated and unreadable binary is, just look
at a simple binary-word translation. The phrase “Hello World,” in binary is
“010010000110010101101100011011000110111100100000010101110110111101110
01
00110110001100100.”

As we can see, this is not something that anyone can read, let alone write
anything as complicated as a program. Now we have a better understanding of what a
program’s source is, so now we move forward to look to what the open source is all
about.
2.0 The Concept of Open Source

In short, Open Source is a way to develop a project that allows anyone to look at its
progress and make changes. More importantly is the ability to look at a computer
program’s source code, modify, and redistribute it. This is the basic concept behind
Open Source.

On the other side of the fence is closed-source development. This is when a

company creates a program, releases it, but keeps the source to themselves. For
example, we can use the Microsoft application Internet Explorer, but we cannot see
the code that makes it.

In the Open Source culture, software is seen as a tool that will benefit not only
the programmer but others rather than a way to make money. While some Open
Source projects turn a profit, the main driving force behind the development is to
create a really good program. This high priority on the software and not the profit is
enough to make some people move to start developing open source. However, it
might not be enough for some and there are even more compelling reasons to use
Open Source. Probably the most popular reasons to use Open Source software is that
we can see the source code of the program we are using. We may (some restrictions
may apply depending on what license it is under) freely change the code to our needs.

3.0 Differences between Free Software and Open Source

Even though it sounds quite the same, free software and Open Source software is not
the same thing. The FSF used (and still does) the word free, meaning freedom. Their
main focus was on the moral and ethical reasons behind creating “free” software. On
the other side, Linux developers were only interested in the benefits of creating a free
operating system. Even though the goals were alike, the philosophies were different
and a new term was needed.

The term Open Source was coined in 1998. This also helped the Open Source
community continue to grow. The “free” in free software had become a problem. The
media and others were always confusing the free with the monetary definition. While
lower cost is a byproduct of this type of development it is not the main reason behind
Open Source. The word “free” scared programmer who thought these people were
crazy for giving their programs away. When “Open Source” was used, it became
easier to teach people why is exists and how it was better than developing a closed-
source product. There are four key benefits from the term Open Source.

1. Open Source emphasizes quality.

2. Open Source stresses flexibility.
3. Open Source decreases development time.
4. Closed Source is characterized ad non-competitive, rather than immoral.

4.0 Example of Open Source Technologies

It is clear that the Open Source community has a lot to offer educators. There are
thousands of projects that are currently being used in educational institutions and
many more that could be. Below is an overview of just a few of the Open Source
projects that educators may be concerned with.

Linux
The most popular OSS operating system on the planet. Linux is an obvious Open
Source solution for educators. It is free and can be easily installed on almost any
computer. Red Hat Linux is the most popular distribution (version) of Linux in the
United States. It offers ease of set-up, use, and maintenance. Another popular
distribution is Yellow Dog Linux. It is based on Red Hat and made to run on Apple
computers. Both of these methods can be used to breathe new life into an old
computer. Linux has a reputation of running very well on older machines. This is
good news for schools since a lot of the time they have older equipment.

OpenOffice.org
As discussed earlier, OpenOffice is a great alternative to Microsoft Office. It runs on
all major platforms and is free monetarily and liberty wise. There are almost no
excuses for a school to spend money on MS Office when this alternative is available.
There are also other Office solutions as well. Koffice and AbiWord are two that are
also popular among the Open Source community.

The Gimp
The Gimp is an image manipulation tool. It is an Open Source counterpart to Adobe
Photoshop. This popular tool has been rapidly gaining features and support in the last
year. It is as powerful as Photoshop and some say even more so. As of this writing the
current price for a single copy of Photoshop is around RM1800. That is a lot to
swallow for a school system on a tight budget. There is no reason they have to if they
knew about the Gimp.

Apache
Apache is most widely known as an http server, which takes care of hosting web sites.
It was created by a few hobbyists who were not happy with the closed-source
solutions available. They started “patching” or develop a program together to fill their
needs. Referring to FSF websites, in May 2003 alone, Apache serves 63% of all
Internet web pages.

Others

 MySQL - A very popular open-source RDBMS

 PHP - A very popular scripting language for interactive web development and
applications
 SAMBA - An implementation of the Microsoft SMB server and client
enabling open-source computers to communicate with Microsoft Windows
networks and many more.

5.0 The Issues of Using Open Source in Education?

There are many issues facing educators who want to use technology and we feel that
many of them can be addressed by using Open Source. Just so it is clear, we are not
suggesting that Open Source is good software or that it is right to use in every
situation. We just are pointing out that it should, at least, be a consideration when
making any decisions about technology that can affect schools or the community.
Let’s now look at some of these issues and explore the effects Open Source can have
on them.

Lack of Money

This is probably the biggest problem facing schools today. The current system for
funding schools is just not working well. The management of the schools always
causes huge budget cuts and technology is usually one of the first areas affected. A
school can save a huge amount of money by using Open Source. The high cost of
licensing software is the main issue at hand. One of the most licensed products in
schools is Microsoft’s Office. The normal version goes for more than RM800 per
license. Teachers and students get a discount though, about RM300 per license. At
first look, this might seem like a deal. The only problem is that they still have to pay
that price for every computer they put it on. Well, technically, they could put it on
more than one computer, but that would be illegal. Let’s say a small school has a total
of 20 computers. To get Microsoft Office on them they would have to pay more than
RM16000. To a small school this can be a heavy blow to the school budget, let alone
any technology budget they may have.

One also has to take into account the price of upgrading when a new version
comes out as well. Another issue is the license itself, which if we read will tell us that
we have almost no right using the software. It makes very clear that we do not own
the software but are buying the privilege to use it. If schools were to consider Open
Source they might think twice before spending money on a closed-source solution.

There are many programs in the Open Source world that are designed to be
office applications. One of most popular and most powerful is OpenOffice. It is a full
fledge office suite from OpenOffice.org. It includes full-featured word processing,
spreadsheet, and presentation applications that can do the same thing that its
Microsoft counterparts can. It also has support for other file types, which means it
works seamlessly with Word, Excel and others. OpenOffice is certified Open Source
and is free to download from www.openoffice.org. It also works on all major
platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. There are no licensing fees nor
support fees. The only price we have to pay is for the Internet connection to download
it. Most of the big ones do not even require us to be using Linux. It is clear with Open
Source; schools can more wisely spend their money while remaining current with
technology. Whether rich or poor, every school system should at least look into using
Open Source.

Lower Cost Equals Better Spent Money

As we have seen, Open Source can save schools thousands of ringgits. Where should
this money go? Staying with technology, the money could go to buy even more
computers. This would give schools a chance to bring the ratio of computer to student
down. Then maybe schools would be able to get away from having only one central
lab. Technology should be integrated into the curriculum and having to sign up for lab
time makes this difficult. Teachers should have the opportunity to have the tools they
need at their fingertips. The money could also be spent on staff development in using
the technology.

The Digital Divide

The digital divide is a problem facing by schools and society. The term 'digital divide'
describes the fact that the world can be divided into people who do and people who
don't have access to - and the capability to use - modern information technology, such
as the telephone, television, or the Internet. The digital divide exists between those in
cities and those in rural areas. The digital divide also exists between the educated and
the uneducated, between economic classes, and, globally, between the more and less
industrially developed nations.

Educators need to be aware of this when they use technology. One of the
major reasons schools do not have equal access to technology is lack of funds. The
lower cost of Open Source does a lot to bridge this gap. Schools that are on the poorer
side can use Open Source to get access to technologies that would be impossible using
the usual routes. Buying computer parts, putting them together, and then installing
Linux can cost as low as RM600. A comparable computer through a vendor would
cost around RM2700. A school that might think it can’t afford anything, when taught
about Open Source, might reassess their budget. A school that takes this approach can
and should also be a center for getting this word out to the community. Low-income
families might realize that they can afford a computer when going this route and use
the school as a support. Looking at these possibilities, Open Source is most likely the
best weapon we have against the digital divide.

Technology Support

One misconception about Open Source, it is that there is a lack of support for
products. This could not be further from the truth. Closed-source solutions usually
have a line of support that they either provide for free or more likely charge for. A lot
of the bigger Open Source projects also sell support, but the best support solution is
usually the Internet. Since it is in Open Source’s nature to have every facet of the
project shared, support is also for free. This support could either come from the
developers themselves or just other people using the product. Chances are that if we
have a problem, someone else has had it before us and their solution is out there. If we
are missing a file, a simple Google search will most likely return its location. The
Open Source community is full of list services, mailing lists, and web sites devoted to
supporting users. If one does just a little bit of research and finds these places, they
will have many times more support than they would through a closed-source vendor.

6.0 Conclusion
By now we should be able to see the implications of using Open Source in education
institution especially school. It cannot only save money, but it also provides an avenue
to the latest in technology. The community behind Open Source is concerned with
creating the best products possible and they do it for fun. This method of development
brings out the importance of the program, rather than the money that can be made off
of it. One of the most common arguments against Open Source in education is “In the
real world my child is going to need to know Microsoft Word so that is what they
should be learning.” At first glance this seems like a valid argument, but upon further
though, it doesn’t align itself with good teaching practices. It is far better to teach the
concepts behind word processing than it is to teach a particular program. Spell
checking, cutting and pasting, margins, and tabs are all concepts are implemented in
all word processors. When a child is taught the concept behind these, they will be able
to adapt to new programs when they come along. For example, learning to use Linux
will only help a student get better at Windows and vice versa. Schools can benefit
from Open Source in so many ways; it is hard to see why more aren’t using it. The
main reason behind this is lack of knowledge about Open Sources. Most people do
not even know what it is. We hope through this little idea presented in this paper, it
could give some idea about what open source is and the benefit behind it especially in
education.

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