Today, the software world is advancing rapidly and technological innovations are being introduced one after another. Behind this progress, the importance and impact of open source software is an undeniable fact. Open source software is an approach that contributes to the software world and is a pioneer of innovation. I will discuss the importance of open source software, its applications around the world and in Turkey, its impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the attitudes of governments and companies on this issue.
Main Advantage
The main advantage of open source software is that they are widely developed and supported by the community. Many developers contribute to improve and continually improve the quality of software. This allows open source projects to develop and update quickly. Also, open source software is often free, making it easier for more users to access and lowering costs. For this reason, many organizations, from small businesses to large companies, prefer open source software. Many large companies and organizations around the world are successfully using open source software.
For example, Google's Android operating system is open source and widely used on mobile devices around the world. Likewise , the Linux operating system is a popular open source project used worldwide on servers, supercomputers and many other devices. Widespread use of open source software plays an important role in technological developments around the world.
An increasing interest and support for open source software is observed in Turkey as well. Developers and entrepreneurs create a thriving ecosystem by using and contributing open source software. There are many open source based projects where Turkish entrepreneurs have achieved success and are known worldwide.
For example, Pardus , developed in Turkey , is the national operating system and is completely open source. Pardus, which was offered only with Turkish language support at the beginning, has reached a global user base by adding many language support in the following periods. Its open source structure has increased the reliability of Pardus and contributed to Turkey's preference as the national operating system.
The Turkish defense industry company Havelsan also draws attention with its contributions to open source projects. Its open-source-based projects set an example for other companies in the defense industry, promoting knowledge and technology sharing.
These examples show that Turkish entrepreneurs have achieved worldwide success with open source projects, and these successes inspire other entrepreneurs. By contributing to the open source software ecosystem, Turkey has made a name for itself with projects that attract attention around the world.
Open Source Software
Governments and large corporations are increasingly realizing the value of open source software. Open source software has the potential to reduce costs and increase efficiencies through its use in public services. For this reason, governments of many countries have developed policies and incentives for the transition to open source software. Likewise, companies adopt open source software in their internal processes and support open source projects.
For example, the Swedish government has adopted a path that encourages all public institutions to prefer open source software in the process that it started in 2009 and continued with the policy documents it published in 2016 and 2019. Thanks to this policy, significant savings were achieved in public expenditures.
However, some states still struggle to change their old habits and remain dependent on traditional software. Also, some companies are still skeptical of open source software about security and may continue to turn to closed source solutions due to security concerns.
Digital Transformation
Presidential Digital Transformation Office announced this week that it has taken an important step in Turkey's digital transformation. The analysis and roadmap report prepared for the transition to Open Source Coded Software (AKKY) was published on the official website of the institution and shared with the public. This decision once again emphasizes the importance Turkey attaches to open source software in the digital field.
In the report, it is expressed that with the accelerating digital transformation, the costs of commercially licensed software will increase in the coming period. In this case, it is stated that open source software has the potential to save on public information technology expenditures by providing cost advantages.
However, the AKKY transition is not just about cost advantages. It also has great potential in terms of developing the local software ecosystem and strengthening cyber security. In the report, it is noted that many commercially licensed software are developed as open source software and are widely used around the world. Therefore, it is aimed to utilize the potential in this field as much as possible on behalf of Turkey.
In this direction, the Presidential Circular No. 2023/13 on “Use of Open Source Coded Software in the Public” prepared by the Digital Transformation Office was published in the Official Gazette and entered into force. With this circular, it is planned to spread and support the use of open source software in the public sector. This step aims to contribute to the national software ecosystem and strengthen its technological independence by encouraging the use of open source software in Turkey's digital transformation process.
Uses
The use of open source software seems to take Turkey one step further in the digital transformation process. This step, which will contribute to the strengthening of Turkey in the field of software and to make its digital infrastructure even more secure, with both its cost advantages and its contribution to the domestic software ecosystem, offers a promising perspective for the future. Now, Turkey aims to reach a more competitive position in digital transformation by utilizing the opportunities provided by open source software. I consider this decision taken by the Presidency's Digital Transformation Office as an important step that will shed light on the digital future of the country.
The importance of open source software is increasing and gaining a significant momentum in technological transformation. Turkey's taking important steps in this area and playing a leading role in digital transformation will enable it to achieve success both on a national and global scale . Supporting and increasing the use of open source software will strengthen our progress towards the goal of being a competitive country in the field of technology. Turkey will become even stronger in the digital transformation process by utilizing the opportunities provided by open source software.
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