How The Defense Department Defends The Use Of Open Source Software

The use of open source software might seem paradoxical inside the Defense Department or at best, a relatively recent development. It would be a mistake, however, to assume that the government has only recently discovered open source software, said Dan Risacher, associate director for information enterprise strategy and policy in the DOD Chief Information Officer's office.

Risacher, speaking at technology symposium last week, noted that the DOD has been using open source software for more than a decade, adding that the reach and scope of those applications continues to grow, especially with the widespread adoption of cloud computing environments.

Open source software, offers a number of advantages to DoD and government agencies, he said. It allows agency IT staffs to move away from proprietary applications and single vendor contracts. It also lowers the cost of long term development and lifecycle management. And it avoids vendor lock in – where an agency is reliant on a single firm for maintenance and upkeep of a system...