Open Source Software, otherwise known as Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) facilitates usage, spread and tinkering of the software as per user’s requirements. Users have complete freedom to copy, distribute and modify the code.
Bossies (Best of Open Source Software Awards) are instituted by InfoWorld. These awards are presented to select open source software that best augments the business community, end users and IT professionals.
In fact, it was the core mission of InfoWorld’s test center to identify the cost effective and efficient IT technologies to fulfill the ever expanding needs of IT departments all over the world.
InfoWorld conducts comprehensive research conducts various events and invests substantial amount in its test center to benchmark open source software as an alternate or an altogether new innovation which is not yet exposed even in closed source.
For business groups, it facilitates the availability of in-depth analysis on various issues and trends and suggests products that can best suit their specific business needs.
It helps IT decision makers to upgrade and update systems with the available latest technologies and architectures.
Open Source Software is able to challenge the traditional commercial operating systems, application software, customer relation management and enterprise resource planning solutions.
There is slight difference between free software and open source license philosophies. Both of them use significantly different distribution methodologies.
Bossie (Best of Open Source Software) Awards
Blogs that spray information on open source technologies will create hype for Bossie awards much like the hype created during the times of Hollywood Academy awards.
Award winning open source software will be picked up by InfoWorld’s team comprised of expert editors and reviewers. WordPress, Drupal, Sugar, Android and Chrome are some of the winning streaks at Bossie awards announced for the year 2011.
It is difficult to pick up a handful of products out of hundreds of thousands of useful Free Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) products. However, best of them are picked up based on the usefulness and the maximum number of people that are using a software application.
There is criticism from certain segments of open source software community stating that awards presentation is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
When a particular software bags award, it will attract more hits on their website and this propaganda generates new wave of enthusiasm for the next year’s presentation.
This year’s awards are dominated by open source software belonging to desktops, mobile technology, business applications, cloud computing, database development and application development.
Open Source Software vs Closed Software
Even though we find most of the desktop OS software is still dominated by closed source, mobile phones especially high end smartphones are fast adapting to Android based open source OS.
As per Barbara Hudson, Slashdot blogger’s remark, out of all the award winning software, except cloud technologies every software has a windows version.
Hudson also stresses the need to come out with Linux based killer applications so that people will fast adapt those applications instead of windows based applications.
If you have developed any open source software and trying to find market for it you may approach InfoWorld where they will test your product and help you engage with concerns that are interested in utilizing your services.
This post was written for the cash giveaway by Successful Blogging and RocketFuel who connect brands with bloggers.