L'Open Source pour les Nuls

L'open source permet de:

• mutualiser des développements entre acteurs pour tester des hypothèses de services,
• améliorer la qualité, réduire les coûts,
• ne pas enfermer les clients des boitiers dans une solution propriétaire, donc d'avoir une offre plus attractive (notamment vis à vis des acteurs publics),
• documenter les algorithmes, donc les données produites, et faciliter l'intégration auprès d'autres parties prenantes,
• faire évoluer le hardware et le software selon les besoins des différents utilisateurs tout en partageant les avantages de cette diversité sans les inconvénients,
• outiller des communautés pour prototyper plus facilement et à moindre coût de nouveaux services tout en faisant bénéficier les partenaires de ces développements,
• capitaliser entre utilisateurs les erreurs/progrès et donc d'aller plus vite, pouvoir passer plus vite à l'échelle,
• créer potentiellement des standards en cas de diffusion large,
• compléter une offre commerciale fermée traditionnelle par une autre relation avec les clients et l'écosystème en général.

L'open source n'est pas :

• forcément gratuit; il est possible de vendre des prestations de conseil, développements, produits.
• non sécurisé; quasiment tous les Operating System utilisent des noyaux Open Source,
• quelque chose de nouveau; de nombreuses communautés développent et utilisent de l'open source,

Webinaires FabMob : l'open source en pratique

La FabMob a lancé une série de Webinaires très pratiques pour comprendre le monde de l'open source logiciel, et pour découvrir comment contribuer sans savoir coder en utilisant Github et Gitlab.

Open source Accelerates Automotive Innovation

L'article ci dessous présente clairement les nombreux avantages de l'open source dans le domaine automobile.

Why Open Source in Automotive Sector : source Open Source Accelerates Automotive Innovation

For starters, the open source approach is demonstrably better than the proprietary model at solving many of the core software challenges auto OEMs face. Open source delivers advantages in multiple categories, including:

• Quality: In the open source model, thousands of developers are coding, testing, and refining the software simultaneously. With the proprietary approach automakers are limited to what their internal teams can accomplish.
• Cost: Open source has no huge up-front licensing fee and no upgrade fees. Support packages are commercially available but entirely optional.
• Freedom: With open source software there is no vendor lock-in. OEMs can share features that are non-differentiating and use the freely available code base to create highly differentiated commercial products.
• Integration: Linux makes it easy to integrate third-party frameworks and applications, such as multimedia players, navigation systems, smartphone apps, multi-screen displays, in-vehicle cameras, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), even silicon.
• Scale: With the ability to be a fully configurable stack with full source code, scaling up or down is extremely easy without losing support benefits.
• Talent pool: A majority of developers favorably view organizations with open source initiatives, making it relatively easy to find and hire developers.
• Security: With continuous development and testing by thousands of developers around the world, software bugs and security vulnerabilities can be detected and remediated extremely quickly.
• Graphics: Linux and AGL are known for exceptional graphics support, including popular frameworks such as QT and HTML5—important for cockpit screens that require clarity and readability.
• Support: Open source software offers broader, more responsive, and often less expensive support options.
• Auditability: Since developers have free and continuous access to the code they can more easily ensure that it conforms with both internal and external compliance and regulatory requirements.

The benefits listed above are just the obvious tactical advantages. Open source software also addresses many of the most critical strategic challenges auto OEMs face, including:

• Integrating the supply chain: As the auto industry moves from the traditional supply chain to the new software-oriented supply chain of the connected car, open source software is uniquely capable of facilitating the integration of contributions from multiple players. With an open source platform, auto OEMs can synchronize the previously siloed systems and processes of partners ranging from silicon vendors to electronic integrators to cloud service providers to traditional mechanical system and hardware vendors.

• Supporting future car architectures: The architectural underpinnings of the connected car are evolving at an accelerating rate, making it difficult to keep pace. Open source is at the cutting edge of innovation, and there are open source projects addressing virtually every category of future car architectures—from infrastructure and tools (Yocto Project, Xen Project, Kinetic Open Storage Project, etc.) to cloud platforms and services (Hadoop, Cloud Foundry, Hyperledger Project, etc.). Automakers should carefully evaluate the open source options in all relevant categories, explore the possibilities, and contribute to promising initiatives.
• Addressing automotive safety and security issues: When automotive safety is a function of software, security becomes paramount—particularly when it comes to new areas of exploration such as autonomous vehicles. The press is already rife with speculation about hackers causing accidents or disrupting safety-critical systems—not to mention stealing personal data or wreaking havoc with GPS systems. The open source approach can help automakers stay a step ahead of malicious attacks by expediting everything from bug fixes to software patches to security vulnerability testing. When thousands of developers are alert to the security issues and vigilantly testing and fixing issues, safety and security are maximized.

The Big Payoff: Accelerated Innovation

Ironically, the single biggest benefit of the open source model is often overlooked: the ability to innovate faster and get better products to market sooner.

Speed is of the essence as automakers transform themselves into software companies. Auto OEMs need to spend less time on things that should be commodities—such as the core OS, connectivity components, etc.—and more time on things that make money and differentiate the brand—such as app development, testing, and deployment. The open source model supports that objective by expediting every aspect of ideation and product development.

Auto Executives: Open Your Minds to Open Source

While the philosophical arguments over proprietary vs. open source models continue, forward-looking auto OEMs are already making money, creating competitive advantages, and enhancing their brands by embracing open source software. In the spirit that drives the open source movement, auto executives should be encouraged to explore the possibilities of this approach—and focus on what counts most to your customers and your business: faster innovation and better products at a lower cost.