Open Source Experts, Perens and Ghosh, Join CSPRI

FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE                                                        MEDIA
CONTACT: Tony Stanco
December 3,
2002
202-994-5513


OPEN SOURCE EXPERTS, PERENS AND GHOSH, JOIN GW’S CYBER SECURITY POLICY
AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Open Source Demonstrates New Forms of Organization and Production Made
Possible by the Internet

Washington – The George Washington University is pleased to announce
that Bruce Perens and Rishab Aiyer Ghosh, two world-renowned Open Source
leaders, have joined its Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute
(CSPRI).  Ghosh and Perens will work at CSPRI to assure that Open Source
software is used effectively in our nation’s security infrastructure and
to assure that government cyber security policy accommodates Open
Source.

Perens, a former Hewlett Packard executive, co-founder of the Open
Source Initiative, and a software designer, joins CSPRI as a senior
research scientist.  Ghosh, an academic researcher who specializes in
the business, economic, and policy implications of Open Source software
and the Internet, joins the Institute as a senior policy analyst.

“Our nation’s cyber security depends heavily on Open Source software,
and as a result, the Institute’s services are increasingly in demand,
both here and abroad.  So, we are very glad that Bruce Perens and Rishab
Aiyer Ghosh have joined us to help fulfill our mandate,” said Tony
Stanco, the associate director of the CSPRI.

"Open Source gained acceptance in government and industry due to the
meteoric rise
of the Linux operating system kernel, its companion GNU system, and the
Apache web
server. We showed that a community developing software for everyone's
free use
could equal or better the world's biggest companies", said Perens. "Even
Microsoft
has contributed software to the GNU project, a fact they don't like to
publicize".

"Open source is the best example of the new forms of organization and
production made possible through the Internet," said Ghosh. "It is
important that governments and business leaders worldwide take advantage
of – and learn from – this extraordinary phenomenon."

Background:
The Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute, established in 1993 at
The George Washington University’s School of Engineering and Applied
Science, is rapidly becoming one of the Open Source movement’s premier
venues for policy discussions and research.  The Institute brings
together representatives of local, national, and international
organizations in both the private and public sectors to address the
impact of Open Source on governments around the world.  The Institute
hosts Open Source in government conferences and is involved in Open
Source government policy, the National Security Agency’s security
enhanced Linux, and the NIAP certification of Linux

– GW –