| The increasing availability of mature open source software and the continuing evolution of distributed computing now manifest in Web services introduce a new dynamic into information system development. Utilizing a research-based systems development methodology, this new dynamic is examined in relation to the development of an Internet-based spatial decision support system.; For this study, the researcher designed, developed, implemented, and evaluated an information system for a quasi-governmental organization consisting of a proximate commuting system that assists employees of multilocation organizations in reducing their commutes by working at a location closer to their home.; The goal of this study was to examine the impact open source software and Web services on information system development, evaluation, and acquisition. This examination addressed the following research objectives: Demonstrate the use of open source software and Web services as a method to develop a proximate commuting system; Evaluate the degree to which the proximate commuting system addresses software quality issues and hence, the needs of its users; and compare the proximate commuting system acquisition to that of a similar information system acquisition, an Internet-based ride-matching system.; Results of this study indicate that: (1) open source software and Web services were successfully utilized in the development of a proximate commuting system; (2) the preliminary findings from a formative evaluation indicate that the proximate commuting system addresses both software quality issues as well as meets the needs of its users; and (3) evidence from a case study suggests that open source software and the service-oriented architecture of Web services add a new dimension to information system acquisition and offer an alternative to traditional methods of system acquisition.; The findings of this study suggest that open source software and Web services are both effective and efficient methods of information system development for organizations. Governmental organizations, in particular, which are required by, e-government initiatives to examine new technologies for the development of their information systems, should consider open source software and Web services. |
