Since the era of computing, developers and programmers share source code to learn and evolve in the computing field. Open source refers to something an individual can share and design because the design is accessible publically. Open-source software (OSS) is a software that contains source code that can be modified, inspected, and enhanced. Source code on the hand is the part of the software, but users don’t often see it, although programmers can manipulate and change the source code. Programmers can access a program source code and improve it by adding new features and fixing parts that do not work correctly. Sourceforge.net is one of the top largest open-source software development website (Christley & Madey, 2005). SourceForge offers a location to manage and control open-source software projects. The site provides the following features; bug tracking, mirroring of downloads, developer and user mailing lists, source code repository, news bulletin, and user–support forums. The article intends to explore and analyze research on SourceForge, which is a significant website that offers resources for software development and distribution.
Summary description
SourceForge is a platform that offers resources for open source projects. The development website hosts move than 100,000 different types of projects. One of the most significant aspects of the platform is that it offers developers a chance to manage and host open-source projects. Joining the SourceForge platform is free and gives developers different varieties of resources for the development of Open software projects.
Look, feel and Target Audience
The website SourceForge.net has an appealing impression to a first time user. The colors used on the site make it vibrant and eye-catching to the user. A single look on the website shows vast information the site has to offer. The website uses eye-catching information to lure developers and programmers into using the platform’s resources. The platform shows users the most popular projects on the site (English & Schweik, 2007). Words like open source, projects, developers, software development, premiere resources, software distribution reflect some of the things the platform offers. The projects posted on the website make you feel at home as a programmer or developer. The website is always up-to-date with the latest information about open source projects. From the content and visual point, the website is designed for programmers and developers.
From a usability point of view, SourceForge is a modern IT website that is organized and simple to use. The website offers a Business and open-source category, which makes it easy to navigate through the website. The website is usable by any individual who is familiar with website navigation. The website also offers articles and cloud storage for developers and programmers in the IT world (Christley & Madey, 2005). The website provides different open source projects that can be modified and enhanced to better. The platform can also offer technology experts with up-to-date information on open source projects.
Usefulness
The website has different types of users in the IT world. One significant use is providing essential information and resources for developers of open-source software. For instance, programmers can synchronize GitHub and SourceForge when working on projects. GitHub has an importing tool that allows users to release and repost projects to SourceForge with a click of a mouse. The website ensures all project updates are posted on the platform, making it easy for developers to add more features to the projects (Feller & Fitzgerald, 2002). The website can be used as a leaning platform for beginners in software development. For instance, the platform offers information on every project posted on the website. SourceForge has a lot of open source projects for use by IT experts.
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Interests
All links in SourceForge are interesting; what took my interest most is the communication and Education link. The communication link offers numerous open-source windows communication software. Some of the software’s are; Moodle, scrolloutF1, WinSCP, and Anti-Spam. For instance, Moodle is a course management system that is used by educators to create an online environment for learning.
On the other hand, the education link was also interesting because it offers top software for education. Some of the software in the link are FileInvite, TrueDialog, KMI LMS, and Tovuti. For instance, TrueDialog is an SMS texting software used by higher educational institutions and businesses.
Bottom line Evaluation
SourceForge is a perfect and professionally built platform that enables users to access free source software and projects. The platform has accurate, straightforward, and efficient information regarding open-source software. The platform offers considerable information on different categories of open source projects. To conclude, the website is an essential tool for software developers and programmers.
Conclusion
SourceForge is an extremely important platform to learn and get more skills while developing software. The platform allows experts to interact with each other and acquire new skills. The platform is easy to navigate through and download different free, open-source software. The website has reliable data for general web users and professional IT experts.
References
Christley, S., & Madey, G. (2005). Collection of activity data for SourceForge projects.
English, R., & Schweik, C. M. (2007, May). Identifying success and tragedy of FLOSS commons: A preliminary classification of Sourceforge. net projects. In First International Workshop on Emerging Trends in FLOSS Research and Development (FLOSS’07: ICSE Workshops 2007) (pp. 11-11). IEEE.
Feller, J., & Fitzgerald, B. (2002). Understanding open source software development (pp. 143-159). London: Addison-Wesley.
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