Open Source and Opportunity for Everyone: A Slovenia case study

3:20pm 17 September 2010

The open source model includes the concept of concurrent but different agendas and differing approaches in production, in contrast with more centralized models of development of software such as those typically used in commercial software companies.

The Open source paradigm enabled a self-enhancing diversity of production models, communication paths, and interactive communities. The final product is evolution driven. There are thousands of solutions and individuals that potentially improves the flow of new ideas to the live and market. Some ideas for software that started in open source have for example moved to the commercial software development model.

A simple example of open source paradigm is gaining knowledge in the education process. Teachers and professors have been remixing content for years. They find their supplemental materials anywhere they can, make photocopies for their classrooms, often with little regard to copyright law. In this sense “open source” improved opportunity for everyone. This can be especially noticeable in less developed world areas, where everyone can access the open source solutions at faculties that have no opportunities to be involved with partnerships with strong IT software providers.

This presentation will outline current directions of using open source in European Union and a case for Slovenia. It will present the open source software development model and its influence into a medium where open initiatives and innovation is facing new challenges. This has and will have a significant impact on the future of ICT and the society.

About Matej Mertik

Matej Mertik, PhD was born in 1977 in Maribor in Slovenia.

As a researcher he was working on his research in Finland and France and gained his PhD thesis at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in Maribor.

He is the author of numerous articles on information technologies and has supervised some European and international projects. He also works with small and medium-sized ICT enterprises in research and development. He currently works in the Faculty of Information Studies in Novo Mesto.