Open source software for public good

A MAJOR weapon in combating the transmission of Covid-19 is contact tracing. In March 2020, Singapore launched TraceTogether - the world's first consent-based contact tracing app which utilises a privacy preserving protocol to anonymise and encrypt BlueTooth proximity data shared between mobile phones running the app.

Over a million people have since installed the TraceTogether app on their devices and joined the fight to protect Singapore from the spread of Covid-19. To support the international community's battle against the pandemic, the republic also open-sourced TraceTogether by making its codebase freely available to anyone in the world to adapt and use. It is heartening to note that the open-sourced codebase has contributed to Australia's development of its own contact tracing COVIDSafe app. This is testament to the ability of open source software (OSS) to foster cross-border collaborations and fast-track digital innovations for the public good.

Although there is growing awareness of OSS, many still wonder what it encompasses. In essence, OSS refers to software source codes made freely available by their developers under any open source licence (OSL) which grants a number of principal freedoms - the freedom to use, the freedom to copy, freedom to modify and freedom to distribute. Unlike object sources which are machine-readable strings of binary 0s and 1s, source codes are human-readable lines of programming text which allow developers to not only study and understand how the software works but also to customise and modify it to suit their specific needs.

When deciding to open source their codes, developers can also choose from literally hundreds of OSLs. Examples of OSLs popular with the open source community include the MIT Licence, BSD Licence, Apache Licence and GNU General Public Licence. These OSLs span a broad spectrum ranging from short licences with just a few terms such as copyright attributions and liability disclaimers to longer licences with more complex conditions such as requiring modified source codes to be distributed under similar OSL terms.

From its inception as part of the free software movement in the early 80s, OSS has been steadily propelled forward by an expanding universe of community-based software projects. OSS is now prevalent across the modern technology landscape and can be found in core systems such as the global network of Apache Web servers powering Internet traffic and the Android operating systems running on billions of mobile devices.

This rapid and wide adoption of OSS underscores its advantages over traditional closed-source software. In contrast to proprietary software, OSS does not depend on a single software company or group of developers for improvements to any particular codebase. With a worldwide community of developers, OSS has a massive developer base which openly shares, reviews and improves on an equally large body of source codes.

As these developers collaborate with each other across time zones on multiple OSS projects, they freely contribute back to the OSS community in the form of code enhancements, documentation, bug fixes and security patches. This rich ecosystem of source codes with its speed as well as transparency in software development are distinctive features of OSS. They explain why the appropriate use of OSS can often result in significant project cost and time savings.

COMPETITION AND INNOVATION

OSS can also help to spur market competition and innovation, thereby bringing better and faster technology products to the public. For example, the Android OSS project enables competing manufacturers to continuously roll out new devices with innovative features and app developers, whether big or small, to design and release different mobile apps on a common interoperable platform.

However, with so many possible OSS projects to choose from, the selection of an appropriate OSS becomes even more important. When inspecting any OSS, some key areas to consider include the quality of its codebase and functionalities, availability of documentation detailing its installation and maintenance, how well supported that OSS is by its community of contributors in terms of code enhancements, bug fixes and patches.

In addition, given the sheer diversity of OSLs, it is also essential to examine the applicable OSS licence terms to ensure that they are compatible with those of other components to be used in developing the subject system. Without the adequate support of qualified legal and technical advisers, the task of choosing a suitable OSS can become quite daunting especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.

To address this need, there are various commercial providers who offer OSS integration solutions with 24/7 technical expertise and support, patches, updates, indemnities and warranties. By engaging these OSS solutions, many enterprises have been able to reap the benefits of using OSS - enjoying economies of scale, interoperability and the rapid deployment of innovative digital services to their customers and users.

OSS reflects the best and good in human nature. Our desire to freely collaborate with others, to help and share with those in need is evident in the positive community values espoused by OSS. As the world gradually emerges from the long tunnel of Covid-19 lockdowns, OSS will be there to do its part in keeping our international connections open and economies thriving once again.