| 1. |
- Butler, Simon, et al.
(author)
-
An Exploration of Openness in Hardware and Software Through Implementation of a RISC-V Based Desktop Computer
- 2022
-
In: OpenSym '22. - New York, NY, USA : Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). - 9781450398459 - 9781450398466
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Open hardware and open source software platforms bring benefits to both implementers and users in the form of system adaptability and maintainability, and through the avoidance of lock-in, for example. Development of the \riscv\ Instruction Set Architecture and processors during the last ten years has made the implementation of a desktop computer using open hardware, including open processors, and open source software an approaching possibility. We use the SiFive Unmatched development board and Ubuntu Linux, and the recorded experiences of system builders using the Unmatched board to explore the extent to which it is possible to create an open desktop computer. The work identifies current limitations to implementing an open computer system, which lie mainly at the interface between the operating system and hardware components. Potential solutions to the challenges uncovered are proposed, including greater consideration of openness during the early stages of product design. A further contribution is made by an account of the synergies arising from open collaboration in a private-collective innovation process.
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| 2. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
On engagement with ICT standards and their implementations in open source software projects : the case of WebRTC
- 2022
-
In: Proceedings 26th EURAS Annual Standardisation Conference. - Aachen : Verlag Mainz. - 9783958864467 ; , s. 143-162
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Real-time communication (RTC) technologies for the web provide opportunities for individuals and organisations to work and collaborate remotely, and the need for such technologies has recently increased. Use of RTC technologies and tools for the web involves a number of challenges concerning data privacy and lock-in effects, such as dependency to specific suppliers and proprietary technologies. Use of open standards for RTC and open source software (OSS) implementing such standards can create conditions for avoiding issues related to data privacy and lock-in, and thereby provides opportunities for long-term sustainable solutions. The paper characterises how engagement with standardisation of WebRTC in the context of IETF and W3C is related to engagement with the WebRTC OSS project.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Enabling OSS usage through procurement projects : How can lock-in effects be avoided?
- 2021
-
In: Open Source Systems. - Cham : Springer. - 9783030752507 - 9783030752538 - 9783030752514 ; , s. 16-27
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Formulation of mandatory requirements in procurement projects has significant influence on opportunities for development and deployment of Open Source Software (OSS). The paper contributes insights on a widespread practice amongst public procurement projects which causes problematic lock-in effects and thereby inhibits opportunities for use of OSS solutions. Through a systematic investigation of 30 randomly selected procurement projects in the software domain the paper highlights illustrative examples of mandatory requirements which cause lock-in and presents five recommendations for how requirements instead should be formulated in order to avoid causing lock-in. Findings show significant lock-in caused by current procurement practices with a stark preference for proprietary software and SaaS solutions amongst procuring organisations.
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| 5. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Half a step behind – bulk disclosure of confidential data in third-party GenAI solutions under the Swedish Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act
- 2024
-
In: Digital Government: Research and Practice. - : ACM Digital Library. - 2691-199X .- 2639-0175.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Technological progress poses unique challenges for the public sector. New technology should be adopted, but it must always be done within the framework of good administration. It follows laws governing public administration must be continuously adapted. Sweden recently amended its secrecy legislation to facilitate the use of third-party cloud solutions by public authorities. When the amendment was enacted, most public sector organisations had already been using external cloud solutions for a long time. Today, there is as much pressure on authorities to implement AI technology as there ever was to move administration into the cloud. This paper uses traditional legal methodology to investigate if the Swedish secrecy legislation adequately enables the use of cloud-based GenAI solutions. Findings indicate that the recent amendment is likely insufficient and that there are significant practical hurdles for the application of the law, particularly with services from global cloud providers. The paper contributes to the understanding of Swedish law, and of the difficulties that can occur anywhere when policy makers and legislators do not move in tandem.
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| 6. |
- Butler, Simon, et al.
(author)
-
Considerations and challenges for the adoption of open source components in software-intensive businesses
- 2022
-
In: Journal of Systems and Software. - : Elsevier. - 0164-1212 .- 1873-1228. ; 186
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Component-Based Software Development is a conventional way of working for software-intensive businesses and OpenSource Software (OSS) components are frequently considered by businesses for adoption and inclusion in softwareproducts. Previous research has found a variety of practices used to support the adoption of OSS components, in-cluding formally specified processes and less formal, developer-led approaches, and that the practices used continue todevelop. Evolutionary pressures identified include the proliferation of available OSS components and increases in thepace of software development as businesses move towards continuous integration and delivery. We investigate workpractices used in six software-intensive businesses in the primary and secondary software sectors to understand currentapproaches to OSS component adoption and the challenges businesses face establishing effective work practices to eval-uate OSS components. We find businesses have established processes for evaluating OSS components and communitiesthat support more complex and nuanced considerations of the cost and risks of component adoption alongside matterssuch as licence compliance and functional requirements. We also found that the increasing pace and volume of softwaredevelopment within some businesses provides pressure to continue to evolve software evaluation processes.
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| 7. |
- Butler, Simon, et al.
(author)
-
Maintaining interoperability in open source software : A case study of the Apache PDFBox project
- 2020
-
In: Journal of Systems and Software. - : Elsevier. - 0164-1212 .- 1873-1228. ; 159
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Software interoperability is commonly achieved through the implementation of standards for communication protocols or data representation formats. Standards documents are often complex, difficult to interpret, and may contain errors and inconsistencies, which can lead to differing interpretations and implementations that inhibit interoperability. Through a case study of two years of activity in the Apache PDFBox project we examine day-to-day decisions made concerning implementation of the PDF specifications and standards in a community open source software (OSS) project. Thematic analysis is used to identify semantic themes describing the context of observed decisions concerning interoperability. Fundamental decision types are identified including emulation of the behaviour of dominant implementations and the extent to which to implement the PDF standards. Many factors influencing the decisions are related to the sustainability of the project itself, while other influences result from decisions made by external actors, including the developers of dependencies of PDFBox. This article contributes a fine grained perspective of decision-making about software interoperability by contributors to a community OSS project. The study identifies how decisions made support the continuing technical relevance of the software, and factors that motivate and constrain project activity.
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| 8. |
- Butler, Simon, et al.
(author)
-
On business adoption and use of reproducible builds for open and closed source software
- 2023
-
In: Software quality journal. - : Springer Nature Switzerland AG. - 0963-9314 .- 1573-1367. ; 31:3, s. 687-719
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Reproducible builds (R-Bs) are software engineering practices that reliably create bit-for-bit identical binary executable files from specified source code. R-Bs are applied in someopen source software (OSS) projects and distributions to allow verification that the distrib-uted binary has been built from the released source code. The use of R-Bs has been advo-cated in software maintenance and R-Bs are applied in the development of some OSS secu-rity applications. Nonetheless, industry application of R-Bs appears limited, and we seekto understand whether awareness is low or if significant technical and business reasonsprevent wider adoption. Through interviews with software practitioners and business man-agers, this study explores the utility of applying R-Bs in businesses in the primary and sec-ondary software sectors and the business and technical reasons supporting their adoption.We find businesses use R-Bs in the safety-critical and security domains, and R-Bs are valu-able for traceability and support collaborative software development. We also found thatR-Bs are valued as engineering processes and are seen as a badge of software quality, butwithout a tangible value proposition. There are good engineering reasons to use R-Bs inindustrial software development, and the principle of establishing correspondence betweensource code and binary offers opportunities for the development of further applications.
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| 9. |
- Butler, Simon, et al.
(author)
-
On Company Contributions to Community Open Source Software Projects
- 2021
-
In: IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 0098-5589 .- 1939-3520. ; 47:7, s. 1381-1401
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The majority of contributions to community open source software (OSS) projects are made by practitioners acting on behalf of companies and other organisations. Previous research has addressed the motivations of both individuals and companies to engage with OSS projects. However, limited research has been undertaken that examines and explains the practical mechanisms or work practices used by companies and their developers to pursue their commercial and technical objectives when engaging with OSS projects. This research investigates the variety of work practices used in public communication channels by company contributors to engage with and contribute to eight community OSS projects. Through interviews with contributors to the eight projects we draw on their experiences and insights to explore the motivations to use particular methods of contribution. We find that companies utilise work practices for contributing to community projects which are congruent with the circumstances and their capabilities that support their short- and long-term needs. We also find that companies contribute to community OSS projects in ways that may not always be apparent from public sources, such as employing core project developers, making donations, and joining project steering committees in order to advance strategic interests. The factors influencing contributor work practices can be complex and are often dynamic arising from considerations such as company and project structure, as well as technical concerns and commercial strategies. The business context in which software created by the OSS project is deployed is also found to influence contributor work practices.
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| 10. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
On availability of Open Source Software reference implementations for standards issued by different standards setting organisations
- 2023
-
In: Joint Proceedings EURAS & SIIT 2023. - Aachen : Verlag Mainz. - 9783958864917 - 3958864910 ; , s. 97-116
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Software reference implementations of ICT standards have an important role for verifying that a standard is implementable, supporting interoperability testing among other implementations, and providing feedback to the standard development process. Providing reference implementations and widely used implementations of a standard as Open Source Software also promotes wide deployment in software systems, avoidance of different lock-in effects, interoperability, and longevity of systems and associated digital assets. In this paper results are reported on the availability of reference implementations and widely deployed implementations provided as Open Source Software for standards issued by different standards setting organisations. Specifically, findings draw from observations and analyses related to software implementations for identified standards issued by ETSI, IEC, IEEE, IETF, ISO, ITU-T, OASIS, and W3C.
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| 11. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
Open Source Software reference implementations for standards issued by different standards setting organisations : availability, perceptions and practices
- 2024
-
In: Journal of Standardisation. - : TU Delft Open. - 2772-9249. ; 3:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Software reference implementations of ICT standards have an important role for verifying that a standard is implementable, supporting interoperability testing among other implementations, and providing feedback to the standard development process. Providing reference implementations and widely used implementations of a standard as Open Source Software promotes wide deployment in software systems, interoperability, longevity of systems and associated digital assets, and avoidance of different lock-in effects. In this paper results are reported on the availability of, and perceptions and practices concerning, reference implementations and widely deployed implementations provided as Open Source Software for standards issued by different standards setting organisations. Specifically, findings draw from observations and analyses related to software implementations for identified standards and policy statements, issued by ETSI, IEC, IEEE, IETF, ISO, ITU-T, OASIS, and W3C.
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| 12. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
Towards open government through open source software for web analytics : The case of Matomo
- 2021
-
In: eJournal of eDemocracy & Open Government. - Krems : Department for E-Governance and Administration, Danube University Krems. - 2075-9517. ; 13:2, s. 133-153
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Web analytics technologies provide opportunities for organisations to obtain information about users visiting their websites in order to understand and optimise web usage. Use of such technologies often leads to issues related to data privacy and potential lock-in to specific suppliers and proprietary technologies. Use of open source software (OSS) for web analytics can create conditions for avoiding issues related to data privacy and lock-in, and thereby provides opportunities for a long-term sustainable solution for organisations both in the public and private sectors. This paper characterises use of and engagement with OSS projects for web analytics. Specifically, we contribute a characterisation of use of OSS licensed web analytics technologies in Swedish government authorities, and a characterisation of organisational engagement with the Matomo OSS project for web analytics.
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| 13. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Effective Strategies for Using Open Source Software and Open Standards in Organizational Contexts : Experiences From the Primary and Secondary Software Sectors
- 2022
-
In: IEEE Software. - : IEEE. - 0740-7459 .- 1937-4194. ; 39:1, s. 84-92
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Open source software (OSS) and open standards have become increasingly important for addressing challenges related to lock-in, interoperability and long-term maintenance of systems and associated digital assets. OSS projects operate under different conditions and many projects and organisations consider successful governance and strategic involvement with projects to constitute major challenges. Today, many companies seek to establish work practices which facilitate strategic engagement with OSS projects. Based on findings from collaborative research which draws from rich insights and extensive experiences from practice, the paper presents seven actionable strategies for organisations that seek to leverage long-term involvement with OSS projects.
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| 14. |
- Fischer, Thomas, Dr.-Ing. 1978-, et al.
(author)
-
Achieving Conformance to Document Standards : Can PDF Files Conform to the PDF/A-1b Specification?
- 2021
-
In: International Journal of Standardization Research. - : IGI Global. - 2470-8542 .- 2470-8550. ; 19:1, s. 1-32
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the context of long-term archival of digital assets, file formats that are standardized and designed for longevity such as PDF/A are preferred. However, due to the complexity of and ambiguities in PDF standards, it is far from trivial to either create standard-conformant files or check the conformance of any given file. This study investigates the challenges when checking real-world PDF files from public sector organizations meant for long-term archival for PDF/A conformance. Results show that only a small set of PDF files claims to conform to the PDF/A-1b specification variant and even fewer files pass conformance checks by various conformance checking tools. Challenges for conformance checking tools include both ambiguities in the standards’ technical specifications and limitations in the implementation.
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| 15. |
- Fischer, Thomas, Dr.-Ing. 1978-, et al.
(author)
-
On challenges for achieving conformance of files to document standards : The case of PDF/A-1b
- 2021
-
In: Joint Proceedings EURAS 2021. - Aachen : Verlag Mainz. - 9783958864214 - 395886421X ; , s. 171-190
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- File formats that are standardized and designed for longevity, such as PDF/A, are preferred in the context of long-term archival of digital assets. However, it is far from trivial to either create standard-conformant files or check the conformance of any given file due to the complexity and ambiguities in PDF standards. This study aims to investigate challenges when checking PDF/A conformance for real-world PDF files from public sector organizations that are intended for long-term-archival. Findings show that only a small proportion of the PDF files claim to conform to the PDF/A-1b specification and even fewer files pass conformance checks performed through the use of various conformance checking tools. Challenges for conformance checking tools include both ambiguities in the technical specifications of standards and limitations in the implementation of software.
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| 16. |
- Fischer, Thomas, et al.
(author)
-
On challenges for achieving conformance to document standards : Can PDF files conform to the PDF/A-1b specification?
- 2020
-
In: Proceedings 25th EURAS Annual Standardisation Conference. - Aachen : Verlagshaus Mainz. - 9783958863552 - 3958863558 ; , s. 21-40
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the context of long-term archival of digital assets, file formats that are standardized and designed for longevity such as PDF/A are preferred. However, due to the complexity and ambiguities in PDF standards, it is far from trivial to either create standard-conformant files or check the conformance of any given file. This study aims at investigating the challenges when checking real-world PDF files from public sector organizations meant for long-term archival for PDF/A conformance. Results show that only a small set of PDF files claims to conform to the PDF/A-1b specification variant and even fewer files pass conformance checks by various conformance checking tools. Challenges for conformance checking tools include both ambiguities in the standards’ technical specifications and limitations in the implementation.
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| 17. |
- Fischer, Thomas, Dr.-Ing. 1978-, et al.
(author)
-
On PDF/A Conformance and Font Usage in PDF Documents Provided by Public Sector Organizations
- 2023
-
In: International Journal of Standardization Research. - : IGI Global. - 2470-8542 .- 2470-8550. ; 20:1, s. 1-19
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The use of appropriate fonts and file formats for long-term maintenance of digital assets is a challenge for organizations in the public sector. The article reports from a study which investigated the PDF/A conformance and font usage in PDF files provided by Swedish public sector organizations (PSOs). This article presents an analysis of the PDF files’ properties and font usage including a categorization of fonts’ licenses. This study is motivated by the PDF/A-1 standard’s requirement that ‘only fonts that are legally embeddable in a file for unlimited, universal rendering shall be used.’ Analyzing PDF sets from three PSOs, the finding shows that the proportion of files that claim or succeed at conforming to PDF/A greatly varies among the sets despite similar backgrounds. Although the most popular way to make use of fonts is by embedding a subset of the font data, for some fonts expected to be ‘always available,’ a considerable proportion of PDF files does not include any font data. This puts the onus of locating this data on the PDF reader which is problematic for long-term archival
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| 18. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
Exploring Influences Between ICT Standards and Their Implementations in Open Source Software Projects : The Case of H.264
- 2021
-
In: Joint Proceedings EURAS 2021. - Aachen : Verlag Mainz. - 9783958864214 - 395886421X ; , s. 211-226
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Novel results concerning influences between ICT standards and their implementations in open source software (OSS) are presented in this paper. Findings draw from observations and analysis related to the ITU-T H.264 standard and two OSS projects (OpenH264 and x264) that implement the standard. The study reports on a characterisation of organisations that influence and control the H.264 standard, organisations that influence and control OSS projects implementing the H.264 standard, and influences between contributors involved with the H.264 standard and OSS projects that implement the standard. Furthermore, projects for standardisation and implementation of H.264 are contrasted with respect to the mix of contributing organisations, and findings are put in relation to organisational strategies of contributing organisations and previous research.
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| 19. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
On Engagement With ICT Standards and Their Implementations in Open Source Software Projects : Experiences and Insights From the Multimedia Field
- 2021
-
In: International Journal of Standardization Research (IJSR). - Hershey, Pennsylvania : IGI Global. - 2470-8542 .- 2470-8550. ; 19:1, s. 1-28
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The overarching goal in this paper is to investigate organisational engagement with an ICT standard and open source software (OSS) projects that implement the standard, with a specific focus on the multimedia field, which is relevant in light of the wide deployment of standards and different legal challenges in this field. The first part reports on experiences and insights from engagement with standards in the multimedia field and from implementation of such standards in OSS projects. The second part focuses on the case of the ITU-T H.264 standard and the two OSS projects OpenH264 and x264 that implement the standard, and reports on a characterisation of organisations that engage with and control the H.264 standard, and organisations that engage with and control OSS projects implementing the H.264 standard. Further, projects for standardisation and implementation of H.264 are contrasted with respect to mix of contributing organisations, and findings are related to organisational strategies of contributing organisations and previous research.
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| 20. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
On engagement with ICT standards and their implementations in open source software projects : The case of H.265
- 2021
-
In: Joint Proceedings EURAS 2021. - Aachen : Verlag Mainz. - 9783958864214 - 395886421X ; , s. 191-210
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper novel results are reported on engagement with ICT standards and their implementations in open source software (OSS). Specifically, findings draw from observations and analyses related to the ITU-T H.265 standard and five OSS projects (x265, libde265, SVT-HEVC, Kvazaar, and Turing codec) implementing the standard. The study reports on a characterisation of organisations that engage with standard development for the H.265 standard and organisations with declarations for H.265 in the ITU-T patent database in relation to standard development for H.265, and how OSS projects implementing H.265 are related to standard development for H.265.
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| 21. |
- Gamalielsson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
On influences between ICT standards and their implementations in open source software projects : the case of H.264
- 2020
-
In: Booklet of Papers of the 11th International Conference on Standardisation and Innovation in Information Technology (SIIT 2020). - Aachen : Verlagshaus Mainz. - 3958863795 - 9783958863798 ; , s. 1-12
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents novel results concerning influences between ICT standards and their implementations in open source software (OSS). Specifically, findings draw from observations and analysis related to the ITU-T H.264 standard and the two OSS projects OpenH264 and x264 that both implement the standard. The study reports on a characterisation of organisations that influence and control the H.264 standard, organisations that influence and control OSS projects implementing the H.264 standard, and influences between contributors involved with the H.264 standard and OSS projects implementing that standard. Further, projects for standardisation and implementation of H.264 are contrasted with respect to mix of contributing organisations, and findings are related to organisational strategies of contributing organisations and previous research.
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| 22. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Addressing Lock-in Effects in the Public Sector : How Can Organisations Deploy a SaaS SolutionWhile Maintaining Control of Their Digital Assets?
- 2020
-
In: Proceedings of Ongoing Research, Practitioners, Posters, Workshops, and Projects at EGOV-CeDEM-ePart 2020co-located with the IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference EGOV-CeDEM-ePart 2020. - Aachen : CEUR. ; , s. 289-296
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As software as a service (SaaS) adoption increases in both the public and private sectors, so does dependency on specific providers and technologies and the consequent danger of lock-in. This paper reports on how public sector organisations (PSOs) can, and should, avoid lock-in throughout the lifecycle (commissioning, deployment and decommissioning) of their deployment of the Microsoft Office 365 SaaS product (O365). We investigate how 33 PSOs address different lock-in effects, focussing on the City of Gothenburg, and show that none of the PSOs determined possible lock-in effects prior to implementation or were able to provide documented evidence that they would be able to independently access, process and maintain the digital assets processed by the SaaS solution after decommissioning. We also report on jurisdictional and data processing issues, with consequent impact on digital sovereignty.
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| 23. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Avoiding lock-in effects through obtaining all necessary licences before use of a SaaS solution in a public sector organisation
- 2023
-
In: European Journal of Law and Technology. - 2042-115X. ; 14:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With increased adoption and use of cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions from international providers many public sector organisations expose themselves to a dependency on specific providers and a range of different lock-in effects. The article reports from a case study which investigated how a large Swedish public sector organisation addressed licensing issues and lock-in effects during adoption and use of a SaaS solution (Microsoft 365). The study identifies problematic licensing issues and presents a legal analysis related to the organisational implementation of the SaaS solution in the specific organisation. Findings show that the organisation has failed to successfully obtain all necessary licences and all necessary rights which would allow for long-term maintenance of all its digital assets independently of the SaaS solution currently in use.
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| 24. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Data processing and maintenance in different jurisdictions when using a SaaS solution in a public sector organisation
- 2022
-
In: eJournal of eDemocracy & Open Government. - Krems : Department for E-Governance and Administration, Danube University Krems. - 2075-9517. ; 14:2, s. 214-234
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many public sector organisations (PSO) use SaaS solutions from dominant global providers. Implementation of these solutions may raise issues concerning both lawful data processing, and the obligations that those PSOs have to maintain their digital assets. One example is a large Swedish PSO which addressed these issues as part of the adoption and implementation of Microsoft 365. The study identifies challenges and presents an analysis of the organisational implementation of that SaaS solution, exposing legal issues that arose in that context. Findings show an absence of a documented risk analysis related to the PSO's use of that SaaS solution, covering data processing and maintenance of its digital assets. Recommendations are presented to facilitate a PSO's procurement and implementation of such a SaaS solution to address issues around data processing and the processing of digital assets.
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| 25. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Implementing the HEVC standard in software : Challenges and Recommendations for organisations planning development and deployment of software
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Standardisation. - Delft : TU Delft OPEN. - 2772-9249. ; 2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Implementation and use of an IT standard in software involves legal, technical and societal challenges. This paper addresses how an organisation can, and should, determine the conditions for implementation and use of the HEVC standard in software. The investigation considers the availability of the standard’s complete technical specification and the extent to which an organisation can access the information necessary to assess the licence conditions for standard essential patents impinging on the standard. Through an action case study approach the investigation analyses declarations in patent databases relevant to the standard and seeks to obtain patent licences from each declarant permitting implementation of the standard in software, where that software is to be provided under one (or several) of three specific open source software licences, and alternatively to be provided as an online service. Our analysis of legal and licensing conditions for use of the standard shows significant obstacles. We find that it is impossible to obtain licences from patent holders that would allow for implementation and use of the standard in open source software. The paper illuminates significant challenges related to conditions for use of the standard under (F)RAND terms and identifies that references to the standard in public procurement projects lead to anti-competitive effects.
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| 26. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
On Challenges for Implementing ISO Standards in Software : Can Both Open and Closed Standards Be Implemented in Open Source Software?
- 2021
-
In: Research Anthology on Usage and Development of Open Source Software. - : IGI Global. - 9781799891598 - 9781799891581 - 1799891585 ; , s. 63-95
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the years, the importance of open standards has been acknowledged in EU and national policies. Formal (e.g., ISO) standards are often referred to in software development and procurement. Use of formal (ISO) standards and to what extent ISO standards can be implemented in open source software is considered, with particular reference to patent licensing. It is shown that not all formal standards are open standards and that FRAND commitments may impose major challenges for use of such standards. Further policies and procedures set by standards setting organisations (SSOs) regarding the notification of standards-essential patents (SEPs) present challenges for organisations wishing to implement standards in software. This chapter elaborates implications and suggests ways of addressing the challenges identified. Use of formal standards may create barriers for implementation in open source software and inhibit an open and inclusive business-friendly ecosystem.
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| 27. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Perceived and Actual Lock-in Effects Amongst Swedish Public Sector Organisations when Using a SaaS Solution
- 2021
-
In: Electronic Government. - Cham : Springer. - 9783030847883 - 9783030847890 ; , s. 59-72
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- When a public sector organisation (PSO) uses a software as a service (SaaS) solution from a global provider this imposes risks for different types of lock-in effects. In turn, use of such solutions by PSOs may prevent full control of digital assets that need to be created, processed, maintained, and archived for use and reuse over long life-cycles. This paper addresses perceived and actual lock-in effects related to use of SaaS solutions in the public sector. We review perceptions of lock-in amongst government agencies and investigate how 46 PSOs have addressed challenges related to obtaining licences and an effective exit plan related to use of the Microsoft Office 365 SaaS solution. Through a review of responses to a survey conducted by the Swedish Government Offices we find significant misconceptions concerning lock-in effects. We find that every one of the 46 PSOs investigated neither obtained necessary licences nor established an effective exit strategy to allow the PSO to independently access, process and maintain digital assets processed by the SaaS solution after decommissioning. We present recommendations for any PSO considering use of a SaaS solution.
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| 28. |
- Lundell, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Use of Commercial SaaS Solutions in Swedish Public Sector Organisations under Unknown Contract Terms
- 2022
-
In: Electronic Government. - Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland AG. - 9783031150869 - 9783031150852 ; , s. 73-92
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lawful and appropriate use of cloud-based globally provided Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions by a public sector organisation (PSO) for data processing and maintenance of digital assets presupposes an investigation of all relevant contract terms. Having obtained, analysed, and filed all relevant contract terms when using a SaaS solution is a prerequisite for good administration. Identifying and obtaining all relevant contract terms for a SaaS solution involves significant obstacles which in practice may be impossible to overcome for each PSO. This paper addresses how PSOs investigate contract terms prior to adoption, and why PSOs use a globally provided SaaS solution without having identified and obtained all relevant contract terms. Through a review of responses to questions and public documents from Swedish PSOs we analysed how each PSO had investigated contract terms and licences for the Microsoft 365 (M365) solution prior to adoption and use of the solution in each PSO. We find that no PSO had investigated all relevant contract terms prior to use of M365, which implies that each PSO uses M365 under unknown contract terms. Further, we find that all PSOs use M365 for data processing of its digital assets under unknown contract terms and that each PSO has significant dependence and trust in its supplier.
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| 29. |
- Robles, Gregorio, et al.
(author)
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Development effort estimation in free/open source software from activity in version control systems
- 2022
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In: Empirical Software Engineering. - : Springer Nature Switzerland AG. - 1382-3256 .- 1573-7616. ; 27
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Effort estimation models are a fundamental tool in software management, and used as a fore-cast for resources, constraints and costs associated to software development. For Free/OpenSource Software (FOSS) projects, effort estimation is especially complex: professionaldevelopers work alongside occasional, volunteer developers, so the overall effort (in person-months) becomes non-trivial to determine. The objective of this work it to develop a simpleeffort estimation model for FOSS projects, based on the historic data of developers’ effort.The model is fed with direct developer feedback to ensure its accuracy. After extractingthe personal development profiles of several thousands of developers from 6 large FOSSprojects, we asked them to fill in a questionnaire to determine if they should be consideredas full-time developers in the project that they work in. Their feedback was used to fine-tune the value of an effort threshold, above which developers can be considered as full-time.With the help of the over 1,000 questionnaires received, we were able to determine, for every project in our sample, the threshold of commits that separates full-time from non-full-time developers. We finally offer guidelines and a tool to apply our model to FOSS projects that use a version control system.
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