Twenty years ago, it would have seemed unthinkable that the might of the proprietary software industry would be challenged by the free open source software (OSS) movement.
Fast forward to present and we can certainly see that OSS is now a massive force in technology today. It’s no longer an issue, but the norm. In fact, it is acknowledged as the future of software for forward-thinking organizations looking to accelerate the process of bringing their ideas to market.
With the strides the open source movement has been making and with the increasing focus on digital transformation in the enterprise, it’s clear that OSS is here to stay. But what does the future hold for open source? And what present challenges does the community need to overcome to ensure that the movement continues to thrive?
SourceForge had the chance to speak with Isaac Murchie, the Director of Open Source at Sauce Labs, the world’s largest continuous testing cloud of web and mobile applications, to discuss the growth and future of open source, as well as the challenges facing it. Murchie also highlights Sauce Labs’ commitment to the open source movement.
Q: Please share with our readers a brief overview on Sauce Labs. When was the company established and what types of industries do you currently serve?
Isaac Murchie, Head of Open Source at Sauce Labs
A: Sauce Labs provides the world’s largest continuous testing cloud for web and mobile applications, and ensures that leading apps and websites work flawlessly on every browser, OS and device. In many ways, the company is synonymous with open source after having been co-founded by Jason Huggins–the creator of the open source standard for automated testing, Selenium–and we just celebrated Sauce Labs’ 10th year anniversary on July 30.
Q: It’s amazing to look back and realize that it has been over 20 years since the term “open source” was first uttered. How has open source technology–and the movement, in general–evolved over the years? And how has it changed the world today?
A: The most dramatic change in open source over the last few years has been the rise of containerization, it has just revolutionized open source software. It’s changed the way software is used and deployed and allowed projects that were hindered by limited resources to expand in unforeseen ways.
Q: As open source advocates and contributors, what myths and misconceptions about open source software would you like to address and dispel?
A: The most pernicious myth is that using open source is enough. At the corporate level, if there is nothing given back then the ecosystem is moribund.
A second myth is that the only way software can only be kept secure and operational is to limit the number of people working on it. But time and again it has been shown that more eyes, not fewer, decrease security holes, clear up assumptions written into the code, etc. Open source software is, all things being equal, better quality.
Q: What are some of the most pressing open source challenges that need to be overcome today?
Perhaps my biggest concern, however, is the tendency of companies to use open source systems but not contribute to them. At Sauce Labs we have a small team of developers who work on open source entirely, and encourage people on other teams who have the time to contribute to what they use, because we recognize that the open source ecosystem can only survive if people give back. If maintenance and development is ignored, software systems will falter and fade.
Q: Tell us about Sauce Labs’ commitment and contribution to open source. What role do you play in the community today and what have you learned so far in your journey?
A: At Sauce Labs, we believe that the most important elements of the open source ecosystem are the people–every maintainer, every contributor, and every answerer of issue is key to ensuring open source thrives. Several of our employees are core contributors to different open source projects, and we’re committed to the success of open source as a company.
Sauce Labs is built around the idea of an open interface. In fact, open source is at the very core of Sauce Labs. The company provides a continuous testing cloud that allows customers to verify that their web and mobile native apps work correctly across a wide variety of devices using open source testing protocols Selenium and Appium.
Finally, Sauce Labs uses open source software at all levels. At the core we use Selenium and Appium for the actual automating that we do. The service above is written in Python and runs on Linux, and so is open in those ways. It also makes use of open containerization tools as well as open tools for more routine operations (logging, etc.).
Q: Can you share some of the highlights at the recently concluded O’Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON) in Portland? What trends or concepts discussed in the conference are you most excited about?
A: Personally, though it has nothing to do with my professional life, I am most excited about people bringing open hardware to the forefront. The availability of good quality open hardware, and reasonable and usable libraries for controlling it, is amazing, and opens up wide avenues of possibility.
Q: Where do you think the future of open source is headed?
A: Open source software will expand its central role in the broader software ecosystem. Just look at the Microsoft acquisition of GitHub. Domains dominated by proprietary software will continue to be invaded by open source. More and more large companies will follow Microsoft’s lead by investing significant resources in open source, releasing both existing and new software under open source licenses. As more software gets consumed as a service rather than as source, it will be interesting to see how open source principles keep pace.
Open source principles are also moving out into other fields, related or not: open source hardware is growing rapidly and allowing for an entire ecosystem of never before seen hardware development. Open collaboration in academia is also on the rise, allowing researchers in all sorts of fields, not just computer science, to share information faster than ever before.
Q: Any more insights you’d like to share with our readers?
A: How companies handle being a good citizen of the open source ecosystem will ultimately determine its success. It’s not enough to just use open source software and expect to have any long-term benefits, it’s important to contribute and give back to the community.
On the developer side of things, as a community we need to keep in mind that the people writing software are doing what they can to keep it working and to support it, probably on their own time. So your individual use of free open source software does not entitle you to demand the level of support you’d get from a commercial vendor. If you feel strongly enough about the quality of the package, become a committer and help to improve it. With 20 years of open source in the books, it will take effort from the whole community to ensure we can have another successful 20 years and beyond.
About Sauce Labs
Sauce Labs ensures the world’s leading apps and websites work flawlessly on every browser, OS and device. Its award winning Continuous Testing Cloud provides development and quality teams with instant access to the test coverage, scalability, and analytics they need to deliver a flawless digital experience. Sauce Labs is a privately held company funded by Toba Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Centerview Capital Technology, IVP and Adams Street Partners.