Open source gives wide option for development – Awe

The chief executive of Jidaw.com, Mr. Jide Awe has said that Open Source Software (OSS) promotes competition and gives a wide option for development.

Speaking exclusively to ITRealms Online, Mr. Awe said that OSS helps to widen the options as countries invest in software to meet a variety of needs.

The opportunity scope, he said, expands beyond the narrow choices of proprietary software.

“For governments that need to improve opportunities for growth OSS increases options. It is ridiculous to expect growth through software development by being mainly reliant on a narrow group of proprietary providers,” he said.

According to him, for an increased development in the small and medium scale enterprises, there is need for them to involve OSS in software services.

This, he said, would enable them to benefit from development of the local Information Technology (IT) industry facilitated by OSS as noted earlier.

“For SMEs in general OSS promotes growth and development through the reduction of IT costs,” he said.

On the security and stability, Mr. Awe noted that countries and organizations are increasingly adaptation of Open Source Software to minimize security risks.

“As IT infrastructure becomes critical to our way of life, business and governance, associated threats cannot be ignored,” he declared, stressing that if systems fail instability sets in it could be that sensitive data is lost or stolen, leading to compromising of national security.

Freedom of source code, he said, gives better control and access to intellectual property, reduced reliance on proprietary software development all contribute towards bolstering security.

For him, in view of the considerable interest OSS has generated globally, it will be a mistake for a developing country such as Nigeria to fail to examine the worth and benefits of OSS.

As said by him, the community driven model of OSS thrives and has received widespread acceptance because of its intrinsic “freedoms”.

Pointing out that the question for Nigeria is how it could and should exploit the fundamental freedom of being able to use, distribute, modify and redistribute the modifications made to OSS software, as well as the availability of OSS without licensing fees and with source code.

“OSS offers forward looking nations a wide range of possibilities,” he said.
For him, the ability to obtain and utilize valuable software at little or no cost without the burden of licensing fees can only be of immense benefit for countries with low per capita income.

He pointed out that since there are no licensing fees exploitation of OSS offers practical avenues for government to promote mass digital inclusion.

“Technology cannot have the desired effect of overall prosperity without universal access and inclusion,” he said.


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