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09 October 2009, 11:44

Open Source Scorecard to be proposed to OSI

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Simon Phipps
Zoom Simon Phipps
Simon Phipps, an Open Source Initiative (OSI) Board Observer, is to propose that the organisation create an open source scorecard, which would allow projects and companies to be certified as attaining a score based on how free the project was. Phipps was considering the issue of distinguishing between open source projects and the various business models after debates about "open core" and "open source business models" at the Open World Forum 2009.

His proposal is for a simple yes/no checklist with up to ten questions and he suggests questions such as "Is the license OSI-approved?", "Is the copyright under diverse control?","Is the community governance open?" and "Does the community operate under a patent peace agreement?". He hopes that suppliers could then be audited against this check list and be able to declare their certified open source score. Phipps says that he would then expect that only companies scoring 10/10 on the check list could call themselves an "open source business".

The idea of scoring the openness and freedom in this way is not new. For example, 2008's The Foundations Of Open is an example of attempting to simplify the measurement of openness and in 2000, there were discussions around the Gnu Business Network which would have offered accreditation for freedom respecting companies. The H has also considered these same issues from an enterprise point of view in the Open Source Enterprise Trap.

(djwm)

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