Open source software is stoking innovation in cloud, mobility and big data, according to new research.
The results of the sixth annual Future of Open Source Survey found that 40 per cent of significant technology innovations from new projects in open source are cloud-based. Another 19 per cent were in mobile apps with 15 per cent devoted to mobile enterprise.
The research questioned around 740 respondents and found that in nearly a third of companies, open source software was deployed throughout three-quarters of an organisation. The quality of open source in one of the top three reasons for adoption in the enterprise, the survey found. Freedom from vendor lock-in and lower costs were the other two.
One of the main conclusions of the report was that open source is not just fuelling innovation, but leading it. Important areas of innovation include cloud, big data, mobile apps and enterprise mobility, vertical-driven open source communities in industries including automotive, financial services, aerospace and others, and new business models like open SaaS.
According to Michael Skok, General Partner at North Bridge Venture Partners, “Taken together with applications like mobile and enabled by cloud, we are entering an exciting new era of ‘Open Innovation on Demand,’ where not only can OSS innovate faster, it can be deployed immediately and consumed as a service from the cloud,”
Tim Yeaton, President and chief executive of Black Duck Software said that the reports point to much stronger adoption in the enterprise, expanding well beyond industries with deep OSS expertise.
“Automotive, mobile, financial services and IT services are rapidly adopting OSS, with nearly all incorporating cloud and mobile solutions. As we’ve come to expect, awareness of the competitive advantages enabled by open source technologies and methods is spreading rapidly,” he added.
The survey was carried out by research outfit the 451 Group and was commissioned by North Bridge Venture Partners and Black Duck Software.
