Quality Concerns in Open Source Software

This seminar discusses quality concerns in open source software as driven by industrial adoption. The speakers will review the major quality evaluation models and discuss the challenges of open source quality assurance of certification. A special focus will be put on security issues. In addition, the speakers will discuss the relationship of open source and open standards.

Open source software has become an important factor in the software business and development equation. For many software companies, however, adopting open source software is still considered as a risky business due to mainly lack of trust in community-driven software. The main concern here is that many quality attributes such as reliability, security and safety are hidden properties that have to be carefully checked, and that fixing software defects pertaining to such quality attributes can never be guaranteed. In order to alleviate such concerns, several quality evaluation frameworks for open source software have been proposed and many open source certification programs and services have been made available.

Speakers
Ari Jaaksi, Vice president, Maemo Software, Nokia
Ernesto Damiani, University of Milan, Professor
Björn Lundell, University of Skövde, Dr., chairman of Open Source Sweden
Michael Widenius, Founder and original developer of MySQL

SCHEDULE

Wednesday 4th of February 2009
09.15 - 09.30 Opening (Imed Hammouda, Tarja Systä)
09.30 - 11:00 Ari Jaaksi (Nokia)
11:00 - 11.30 Break
11.30 - 12.30 Ernesto Damiani: Open source certification
12.30 - 13.30 Lunch break *)
13.30 - 15.30 Ernesto Damiani: Open source certification, open source assurance
15.30 - 15.45 Break
15.45 - 17.00 Open discussion or discussion/exercise on selected topics
17.00 End of day 1
18.00 Join us for informal social event at The Plevna Brewery Pub & Restaurant, Itäinenkatu 8. Great opportunity to see film about The Plevna’s history and way of making beer, taste three kind of beers (9€) and enjoy supper from á la carte (at your cost).

Thursday 5th of February 2009
09.15 - 10.45 Ernesto Damiani: Open source and security issues
10.45 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 12.30 Ernesto Damiani: Open source and security issus
12.30 - 13.30 Lunch *)
13.30 - 15.00 Michael Widenius: Licencing and the quality of OS software
15.00 - 15.15 Break
15.15 - Excercise/group work

Friday 6th of February 2009
09.15 - 10.15  Björn Lundell: Overview of open source evaluation models
10.15 - 10.45  Break
10.45 - 12.00  Björn Lundell: Open Source for Open Standards: Why, When and How to avoid lock-in?
12.00 - 13.00  Lunch *)
13.00 - 13.45  Björn Lundell: Open Source for Open Standards: Why, When and How to avoid lock-in?
13.45 - 14.00  Break
14.00 - 15.30  Björn Lundell: Open source in industrial context

* Lunch and coffee can be bought from downstairs' restaurant.

Participation fee 360€. Join the network!

Member Universities' and Polytechnics' staff can participate for free. See more details from participation.