Abstract

This paper explores the state of Open Source Software (OSS) in South Africa. The use of OSS in the business and government environment, as well as the supply and demand of OSS professionals in the South African environment are investigated. This research can also provide businesses with an objective tool with which to help them evaluate OSS in their businesses.

The results depict a growing trend in the use of OSS in South Africa. Only a small percentage of SA organisations have significant usage levels of OSS, with the majority of OSS users planning on maintaining their current levels of usage. It was observed that 67% of non-OSS users are considering OSS use in the future, with the majority of these respondents having made preliminary investigations into the viability of OSS use.

Further results show an association between the size of an organisation and the usage of OSS, with smaller and medium sized enterprises using OSS more than larger organisations. It was also observed that the majority of training institutes perceive that there will be a growth in demand for OSS training within the next 5 years, which correlates with findings that the number of training workshops and institutes are increasing to accommodate the increase in demand.

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