COTS Terminology and Categories: Can We Reach a Consensus?

There are a variety of classification schemes related to COTS products. Desktop applications, math libraries, operating systems and complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) product suites are all examples of COTS products but differ dramatically in their scope, resource requirements to implement and associated risks. The Terminology Panel held during ICCBSS 2003 was a surprising ”sleeper” in generating lively discussion about the lack of standard terms, definitions, and categories. As a follow up, during this workshop, we will examine alternative categorization schemes and COTS-related definitions. Our objective will be to arrive at a consensus where possible and more clearly identify areas where differences of opinion exist.