Cisco doesn't contribute nearly enough to open source
Sep 21, 2010, 17:04 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Julie Bort)
"Cisco's website proudly proclaims it responsible for a half
percent of the contributions to the Linux kernel (0.5%). In
reality, Cisco has been a near non-entity as an open source
contributor. I'm hoping it's up-and-coming Android-based tablet,
Cius, could inspire a change of heart because it's few
contributions in its core area of networking have been tantalizing.
There's so much more it could do.
"I'm not even talking about an open source operating system for
its routers -- OS- IOS if you will. Maybe another day I'll argue
the merits of that. Cisco keeps its operating system under lock and
key (not even allowing it to be licensed out to run on virtual
machines for students enrolled in its many certification
"OK. Google does the same thing with its core intellectual
property. For all of Google's contributions to open source -- too
numerous to name -- Google doesn't open source its secret sauce,
its precious search algorithms. Quite the opposite, it patents its
technologies in that area."