Abstract:

Open Source Software is software which can be used, copied, studied, modified and redistributed with little or no restriction beyond the requirement that source code must be made available. The paper discusses five key points about acceptability of OSS in the private and public sectors in Oman: First, the paper seeks to provide an outline of the current and relevant literature with regard to OSS including the different types of OSS licensing; second, investigates the implementation of OSS in Oman private and public sectors; third, explore the benefits gained by the companies and institutes by implementing OSS; fourth, examines the barriers that stand against using/implementing OSS. Finally, the paper discusses the future of OSS in Oman.