Over the period from 2000 to 2005, “Open Source” in general and the Linux operating system in particular have been frequently mentioned in various media outlets in Vietnam. Consequently, software products, technical solutions, and projects have been developed under one of two categories: Open Source and Closed Source.
Previously, IT professionals in our country were mostly familiar with the Windows operating system, Microsoft Office software, and various utilities that generally required payment for use, which falls under the Closed Source category. However, around the world, the use of Windows and pirated utilities has become very common, from ordinary computer users to organizations and institutions.
With the emergence of laws related to intellectual property and stricter copyright enforcement for software products, alongside the trend of global integration and Vietnam’s accession to the WTO, we, the IT students of Vietnam, must know which path is suitable for the development of our country’s IT sector.
Computer users in Vietnam are mostly accustomed to using Windows for both entertainment and work purposes on workstations or servers, making the trend of using and developing Closed Source software still the primary choice. However, “budget” remains a significant issue for us, as simply calculating the number of computers multiplied by the cost of purchasing a Windows operating system results in a large sum, not to mention additional utilities. Therefore, “Open Source” has exploded in our country as a new direction, a new solution for the development of IT in Vietnam.
Many articles in both domestic and foreign newspapers have discussed Open Source extensively. This article aims to summarize and clarify how this new trend impacts IT students.
What is Open Source?
Open Source refers to software products whose source code is publicly available. Users do not have to pay any fees, and moreover, they have the right to view, modify, improve, and upgrade the software according to principles outlined in the General Public License (GPL) for open source software. The pioneer of Open Source is Richard Stallman, who established the GNU project and created the GPL, two key foundations for the development of Open Source.
Dr. Nguyen Chi Cong, head of the Project 112 technical team, stated: “Open Source software is made available by authors who provide the code for others to reuse and develop. Open source software providers can charge users for certain services such as warranty, training, upgrades, consulting, etc., which are actual services provided to serve users, but they cannot sell open source products as they are part of the common intellectual property, not the private asset of any supplier.”
In contrast to Closed Source products, which include both paid and free software, these products are distributed only in packaged versions for installation without giving users access to the source code.
Main Open Source Products
The first Open Source product worth mentioning is the Linux operating system (specifically GNU/Linux), which was created by Linus Torvalds. Linux is known as a free, stable, secure, flexible, and high-performance operating system developed by a large community on the Internet. However, Linux is just the name of the kernel, the “heart” of the operating system. When we use the Linux operating system, what we are actually using are distributions from various organizations. Currently, there are many distributions with unique features serving specific purposes, which can be referenced at http://www.distrowatch.com. Notable distributions include Redhat/Fedora, Debian, SuSE, Gentoo, Mandrake, Slackware, and Ubuntu.
In the server market, these distributions perform exceptionally well in terms of performance, safety, and security, capturing a significant market share; however, in the workstation market for end users, most distributions struggle to convince users due to inferior graphics and ease of use compared to Windows. Nonetheless, Ubuntu—a newer distribution—is considered quite user-friendly, and many other distributions are making considerable efforts to enhance user convenience.
Secondly, there is the Apache web server software. Windows integrates the IIS server software along with SQL Server database and ASP web programming language, creating a complete web system. In parallel, the Open Source product offers the Apache web server, combined with MySQL database and programming languages such as PHP, Perl, and Python, creating a very flexible, secure, and stable web server system that is widely used on both Linux and Windows operating systems.
Recently, the web server system on the Open Source side has received high evaluations from professionals. According to Netcraft statistics from December 2004, 68% of websites on the Internet run on Apache, while only 21% run on IIS, and 47 out of the top 50 websites with the longest uptime run on Apache web servers. In the future, the LAMP stack (Linux + Apache + MySQL + PHP/Perl/Python) will certainly solidify its position in the global web server market.
The Firefox web browser, known for its outstanding speed, security, compactness, and numerous features, is gradually capturing the global web browser market and is the biggest competitor to Internet Explorer (IE). Many IT experts have pointed out that most security vulnerabilities in Windows stem from the IE browser, making the replacement of IE with Firefox a wise choice for computers running Windows. In fact, the world’s largest search engine, Google, has initiated a movement to “eliminate” IE in favor of Firefox, supported by members within Google Adsense.
Additionally, there are many famous Open Source software competing strongly with Closed Source counterparts within the same applications, such as Open Office – Microsoft Office for word processing, Gaim – Yahoo Messenger for messaging, GIMP – Photoshop for graphics, and Mail Exchange Server – Qmail/Postfix/Courier for email services, among others.
Benefits of Open Source for Students
IT students have two primary concerns: knowledge during their studies and employment after graduation. In both aspects, Open Source is a relatively new but highly worthwhile choice.
In terms of knowledge, most students are accustomed to working on Windows, an operating system proclaimed by Microsoft to be user-friendly and easy to manage for both experienced users and novices. For office workers in organizations, this is convenient and reduces the difficulty of tasks. However, for administrators, while it may ease usage, updates, and protection, the risks are quite high due to Windows’ inherent instability and security issues compared to Linux.
For IT students, whose primary goal is learning, using Windows brings simplicity, as most operations involve simple “clicks.” These operations are mostly habitual actions rather than knowledge-driven. In reality, many books, articles, and guides focus on instructing users through step-by-step operations without concentrating on teaching them why certain actions must be performed and the outcomes they yield.
When working with Linux, you truly take ownership of your system. A secure and stable Linux system requires its user to be knowledgeable and experienced. In the process of learning to use Linux, students have numerous opportunities to learn and access knowledge about systems and services. To proficiently use Linux, one must grasp basic IT principles, such as Operating System principles, Basic Networking, etc. In summary, while initially using Linux may pose several challenges, these challenges are indeed opportunities to explore and acquire essential knowledge for future careers.
Students using Closed Source software can only understand what the software is for and how to use it, which is suitable only for end users. However, students are inherently curious, eager to learn, and explore, and knowledge about programming languages, technologies, and the structure of software is not provided by Closed Source software.
Moreover, when working on Open Source products, students can customize and modify them in their unique style, showcasing creativity; they can also use small code snippets to contribute to their projects, demonstrating engagement. A clear example is the movement of localizing or modifying the source code of forums and portals written in Open Source programming languages (PHP, Perl), which has become very popular.
Regarding employment, the Open Source movement in Vietnam is still a new trend. The demand for Open Source human resources remains urgent. Currently, in Vietnamese organizations and enterprises, the number of Linux servers (Redhat, Fedora, Debian, etc.), Linux-like operating systems (such as FreeBSD, Sun Solaris), and Open Source applications (Apache, MySQL, Firefox, BIND, etc.) is increasingly preferred due to their superior characteristics: security, stability, flexibility, and adaptability. An important reason businesses prefer using Open Source products is the low costs associated with usage and maintenance (which is very suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises) and especially the absence of concerns regarding copyright violations, which can hinder cooperation between domestic and foreign companies.
Additionally, e-commerce in Vietnam is developing and is expected to grow significantly in 2006, making the development of websites based on Open Source platforms very crucial. The reality shows that the number of websites written in PHP, Perl, communicating with the Apache web server and MySQL database is becoming increasingly common. Furthermore, by participating in and distributing Open Source products, businesses can integrate into a global Open Source community, which is thriving predominantly in Asia. This has also become a major trend in Vietnam today. Simultaneously, from this environment, the development, provision, and support of Open Source services, as well as building a reputation, have brought substantial profits to businesses.
Open Source is developing across our country, throughout the continent, and spreading worldwide, creating a vast “job market” contrasted by a shortage of skilled human resources in Open Source, presenting a significant opportunity for IT students. A student graduating with experience in managing Linux systems is likely to have no worries about employment in large organizations and companies. In fact, in Vietnam, the number of employees knowledgeable about Open Source and proficient Linux system administrators is very low, leading to an increasing demand for hiring experienced employees in Open Source.
In the overall project for the application and development of Open Source in Vietnam from 2004 to 2008, nine project groups have been approved by the government, with the human resource training project being one of the key projects. “IT students carry the direct mission of developing Open Source software. Therefore, in the upcoming year, we will allocate appropriate funding for students interested in researching Open Source software,” said Nguyen Trung Quynh, head of the Open Source Software Project Management Board, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Want to learn more about Open Source?
a. The Open Source community on the Internet is vast, with an endless repository of articles and guides about Open Source applications. Learners can easily find these resources through search engines like Google, Hotbot.
b. The Vietnam Open Source Software Community (VNOSS) aims to create a platform for Vietnamese individuals interested in open source software. “VNOSS was established with the hope of gathering Vietnamese people interested in open source software. VNOSS creates an equitable and friendly playground for everyone, helping each other with installation and usage of OSS, promoting the use of open source software.” You can visit the website http://vnoss.org for valuable information.
c. The favorite Linux forum of Vietnam http://www.vnlinux.org is a very useful environment with articles on using Linux and Open Source applications. The forum is also a place for sharing and learning knowledge and experiences for anyone wanting to study Linux.
d. The Open Source group at University of Technology – Vietnam National University was established in September 2003 to help students familiarize themselves with and use Open Source applications. (Website: http://osg.vnu.edu.vn)
I’m sorry, but it seems that you haven’t provided the Vietnamese article you want translated. Please provide the text, and I’ll be happy to assist you with the translation.
