Industry analysts can play a valuable role. But their shortcomings are particularly evident in their coverage of open source software. And, apart from analysts, what viable alternative information sources exist?

Open source developers need to guard their intellectual property rights if they want to compete with the big boys, says Martin Brampton.

Industry analysts are scratching their heads after Microsoft recently decided to join a project measuring how people are using open source software. The Open Source Census is run by OpenLogic, a company that aims to help organisations obtain, use and control open source software -- programs where the underlying code is open to everyone to see and to share ideas on improving it.

Martin Brampton says the open source movement isn’t as collaboration-friendly as its proponents would like you to think. How can that be, when open source development is all about sharing code and helping each other fix bugs or develop programs? It’s all in the characteristics of the individual developers, he says

A closer look from open-source software developers and industry analysts reveals that enterprises using outsourcing for their programming needs could stand to learn some management and process techniques from the open-source community.

A recent study carried out by Saugatuk Technologies, Open Source as Disruptive Influence, has found that open source software's (OSS) uptake by business has exceeded previous expectations by analysts. The report indicated further uptake in coming years.

The educational community has discovered open source tools in a big way. Analysts predict that schools will spend up to $489.9 million on support and services for open source software by 2012, and that only includes charges related to operating systems and learning management systems.

The educational community has discovered open source tools in a big way. Analysts predict that schools will spend up to $489.9 million on support and services for open source software by 2012, and that only includes charges related to operating systems and learning management systems.

Phil Whitehouse of BT has written an article with twelve guidelines to build an open source community: "Some might say that open source communities "just happen", and that they operate on intuition and unwritten social rules, but this logic overlooks the vast quantity of open source projects that fail."