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posted by janrinok on Saturday September 11 2021, @11:54PM   Printer-friendly
from the freedom dept.

While fastidiously avoiding use of the F-word [i.e. freedom], the European Commission has published a very long report on the impact of open source software and hardware on technological independence, competitiveness and innovation in the EU economy. Open hardware is also covered.

This study analyses the economic impact of Open Source Software (OSS) and Hardware (OSH) on the European economy. It was commissioned by the European Commission's DG CONNECT.

It is estimated that companies located in the EU invested around €1 billion in OSS in 2018, which resulted in an impact on the European economy of between €65 and €95 billion. The analysis estimates a cost-benefit ratio of above 1:4 and predicts that an increase of 10% of OSS contributions would annually generate an additional 0.4% to 0.6% GDP as well as more than 600 additional ICT start-ups in the EU. Case studies reveal that by procuring OSS instead of proprietary software, the public sector could reduce the total cost of ownership, avoid vendor lock-in and thus increase its digital autonomy. The study also contains an analysis of existing public policy actions in Europe and around the world.

Back in 2006, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh prepared a similar report for UNU-MERIT, Study on the effect on the development of the information society of European public bodies making their own software available as open source, in The Netherlands.


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  • (Score: 4, Informative) by Dr Spin on Sunday September 12 2021, @08:04PM (1 child)

    by Dr Spin (5239) on Sunday September 12 2021, @08:04PM (#1177286)

    You don't have to contribute any of it back to FOSS, unless and until you distribute your in-house version to customers and/or the public.

    You don't have to.

    You don't have to contribute any of it back to FOSS, unless and until you distribute your in-house version to customers and/or the public.
    But then again, if you do, others will support it for free without you even lifting a finger (or, quite possible, even writing legible documentation).

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 12 2021, @08:07PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 12 2021, @08:07PM (#1177287)

    And then the shipment of pink ponies arrives and everyone gets one. EVERYONE.