Using
open
source
software
can offer
savings
for
colleges

Open source is an approach to creating and distributing software. It’s free to use and the software code is open rather than closed. The approach can be used by anyone. Users can examine the code and learn from it, change the purpose of it and even share it.

Likewise, the same software package can be hosted and supported by different companies, keeping down costs and preventing lock-in to a single supplier. For example, the open source content management system Drupal is commonly used across the public sector and there is a thriving ecosystem of small and medium-sized companies providing support, customisation and hosting services.

The open source approach can offer cost savings, but the ability to engage with the software may offer the greatest benefits. Users are given the freedom to customise the code to their own requirements, fix bugs or flaws directly and by choosing how much of the development work they want to outsource, free up capacity for other activities. This aspect of open source is also noted by the Home Office and Cabinet Office. Niki Barrows of the strategy & architecture team at the Home Office explains: "Government takes the view that where there is no significant overall cost difference between open and non-open source products, open source should be selected on the basis of its additional inherent flexibility".

The new guidance for education was created by OSS Watch, who are funded by Jisc. It identifies open source alternatives to common closed source software packages used in education and has been developed to help colleges feel confident when making the transition to open source.

In a survey carried out by OSS Watch they found that 35% of further education providers still prefer closed source software over open source. Scott Wilson, service manager at OSS Watch, comments: "We suspect this is based on a continued lack of understanding about open source which needs to be addressed.

"I’m sure you’ll be surprised to hear that from your smartphone to your TV, open source software is present everywhere there’s a computer. In fact many major companies use it for their most critical functions. We hope that the development of this guidance will encourage more further education providers to ensure they are getting the best deal for their college by considering open source options equally when procuring ICT solutions."

A recent example of the benefits can be seen at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport where the switch to using open source software for its intranet resulted in 90% cost savings, a situation that Tom Loosemore, deputy director of the Government Digital Service describes as the ‘new normal’ for public sector IT services.

For further information on open source and support in making the transition please contact OSS Watch.