FOSS is easily scalable
Scalability in this context refers to the ability of software to be able to handle to solve problems at both small size levels and large size levels. The large problems might include those needing hardware platforms with extremely high performance, massive storage, or a massive amount of software to do the job. The small sizes might include personal digital assistants (PDAs).
There is much evidence that suggest that OSS/FS can scale:
More recent data from November 2005 shows this as an increasing trend. Jay Lyman’s November 15, 2005 article Linux continues supercomputer domination notes that on the November 2005 Top500 list, 78% of the world’s fastest machines (391/500) rely on Linux, far more than anything else. Seven of the top 10 systems are running GNU/Linux (the other three run AIX, UNICOS, and Super-UX), and as with the March 2005 survey, the fastest supercomputer in the world runs on GNU/Linux. In contrast, “Microsoft Windows didn’t even turn up on the list.” Erich Strohmaier, co-founder and editor of the Top500 list, said that the OSS/FS “Linux is the dominating OS in the supercomputing community and will keep this role... If anything, it will only enlarge its prevalence.” In fact, he believes that “no other operating system is likely to be used as much as [GNU/]Linux in the foreseeable Top500 future.” Strohmaier said there were at least two reasons for this: GNU/Linux was more cost-effective, and that it matches what many organizations already run on their servers. Instead, GNU/Linux “has become an industry standard in this community, and any other OS trying to break into this market (Mac OS X, Windows, etc.) would have to fight a steep, uphill battle.”
References
David, A. (2007). Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)? Look at the Numbers! Retrieved from http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
Other important sources
Robert, C & Richard C. (2004) . Free and Open Source Software. Overview and Preliminary Guidelines for the Government of Canada. Retrieved from www.sita.co.za/FOSS/Gov_Canada-OSS_Guide-Dec04.pdf
Allen, G. (2008). Good to Great FOSS: Learnings from Africa . Retrieved from www.aspirationtech.org/files/GoodToGreatFOSS-LearningsFromAfrica.pdf
Kenneth, W.(2004). Free/Open Source Software: Government Policy. Retrieved from http://www.sita.co.za/FOSS/Gov-OSS_Guide-04.pdf
There is much evidence that suggest that OSS/FS can scale:
- GNU/Linux dominates in supercomputing: GNU/Linux is used in 78% of the world’s 500 fastest supercomputers. Most of the world’s ten fastest supercomputers... including the world’s most powerful supercomputer (as of March and November 2005) use GNU/Linux. By March 2005 Forbes noted that 60% of the world’s fastest supercomputers use GNU/Linux, using data from Top500 to determine which computers are the world’s fastest. Of those top 500, the best available information shows that 301 run GNU/Linux, 189 on Unix, 2 on FreeBSD (another OSS/FS Unix variant), and one on Microsoft’s Windows. A few machines’ operating systems are unknown, but even so, Forbes says “Linux clearly is by far the top choice for high-performance computing.”
More recent data from November 2005 shows this as an increasing trend. Jay Lyman’s November 15, 2005 article Linux continues supercomputer domination notes that on the November 2005 Top500 list, 78% of the world’s fastest machines (391/500) rely on Linux, far more than anything else. Seven of the top 10 systems are running GNU/Linux (the other three run AIX, UNICOS, and Super-UX), and as with the March 2005 survey, the fastest supercomputer in the world runs on GNU/Linux. In contrast, “Microsoft Windows didn’t even turn up on the list.” Erich Strohmaier, co-founder and editor of the Top500 list, said that the OSS/FS “Linux is the dominating OS in the supercomputing community and will keep this role... If anything, it will only enlarge its prevalence.” In fact, he believes that “no other operating system is likely to be used as much as [GNU/]Linux in the foreseeable Top500 future.” Strohmaier said there were at least two reasons for this: GNU/Linux was more cost-effective, and that it matches what many organizations already run on their servers. Instead, GNU/Linux “has become an industry standard in this community, and any other OS trying to break into this market (Mac OS X, Windows, etc.) would have to fight a steep, uphill battle.”
References
David, A. (2007). Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)? Look at the Numbers! Retrieved from http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
Other important sources
Robert, C & Richard C. (2004) . Free and Open Source Software. Overview and Preliminary Guidelines for the Government of Canada. Retrieved from www.sita.co.za/FOSS/Gov_Canada-OSS_Guide-Dec04.pdf
Allen, G. (2008). Good to Great FOSS: Learnings from Africa . Retrieved from www.aspirationtech.org/files/GoodToGreatFOSS-LearningsFromAfrica.pdf
Kenneth, W.(2004). Free/Open Source Software: Government Policy. Retrieved from http://www.sita.co.za/FOSS/Gov-OSS_Guide-04.pdf