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Open Source Part of Mainstream IT in Canada
Sxip writes "A recent survey of advanced technology companies indicates that Open Source software is becoming an explicit component in enterprise Information Technology (IT) strategy and architecture. Some nine out of ten respondents include Open Source in their planning."
Okay, I know this is the typical response but it has to be said: Where the $#@ is the credibility in this piece?
There is no information on how the people being surveyed were selected and how they were surveyed. I always find it suspicious at the least and downright misleading at the worst when people do their own surveys without revealing the details of data collection. A sample size would be nice.
It doesn't have to be super-detailed for the press release but it ought to at least say "Through out Internet survey to 100 of our members" would at least give context to their results.
If it's skewed I want to know. If it's accurate, I want to know that too.
Sunny
Be my Friend
Closed source software is a worse form of exploitation, more akin to slavery. If you work on an Open Source project, you get to keep everything you invested in it as well as a dividend from everyone else's investment in it. If you work on a Closed Source project, some faceless corporation owns everything you put into it.
Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
This is the way professional advertizing etc. work.
Get one cigarette, then buy 600 after you get addicted.
And what's wrong with having others work for free? It's THEIR choice, so why shouldn't I try and make a profit from it? You know, if people could sell air and water, they WOULD. It's the American Way... everyone tries to make a buck somehow.
Most IT guys Ive worked with knew and respected Linux. On one hand is the credibility thing, you need someone to point fingers to. For that reason I've been using the RedHat company and OpenBSD organization. Spend the money and buy copies (CDs) of the OS from them, and it becomes cheaper than Windows rather that (gasp) free! Companies want someone to point fingers to.
Theres also a strong affinity towards Linux. There are VPN technologies out there but most prefer to run the VPN box on Linux. However most applications needed by the organization are dependent on win32:
(1) ERP system. This requires Win32 or iSeries V5R3. Win32 is cheaper.
(2) Office suite. I could roll out OO but that will take some training and struggle.
(3) Lotus Notes. This runs only on OSX and win32. I cant switch to OSX because of the other apps.
(4) All the reporting tools like Crystal etc. They are resisting Linux for now.
(5) Active Directory Integration. Using OpenLDAP its still a bit of a struggle.
So gentlemen, it will take time!
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
I am not at all contesting that open source is disrupting proprietary software in a big way, but its not dominant (as of yet). Personally though, I think it eventually _will be_.
But it is taking the traditional low-end route: getting traction first through developers, and then moving its way up the food-chaing slowly but certainly.
I am actually in the process of ending my work at said "big global consultancy" to start out on my own with a couple of friends: we will most likely use mostly OSS software, all the way form linux desktops. So for a smaller company, open source is definitely here and a wonderful possibility for small companies.
Google and apache are pretty much ubiquitous. I would expect that in excess of 9 in 10 web surfers rely on resources provided by computers running linux.
Almost all major companies use "Open Source" all over the place. They have for years, decades even.
The only difference might be that the muppets who think they are in charge now have to have an "open source stratagem", mainly because "Open Source" is now a brand all of it's own.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
Too bad Canada has more oil than Iraq.
Guess who we sell it all to?
Now guess which "superpower" would be without gas (and electricity) if Canada ever dissapeared?
I know its popular among Americans to bash Canada and "put the little guy in his place", but most people just don't realize how interdependant the two countries are on one another. If one falls, the other takes a tumble too.
So start showing some goddamn respect for your best ally and neighbour (and that goes for both sides).
Webservers, print servers, routers, and all the "fringe" stuff is all fun and good -- that's a given. For most companies, the meat of IT is in desktops. Desktop OS and an Office suite.
Not all companies are Internet companies. Not sure if you've looked at that reality. So how does say a small business that has proprietary windows-based custom software for its accounting, inventory, and billing benefit from someone saying "Hey, Google runs open source!!!" when it doesn't apply to THEIR particular business?
Point to Burlington if you have to point to something at all. However, migration is still a headache, especially for someone who now would have to start from scratch.
If anyone has to do any planning, look at open standards. Don't box yourself in. Open Source is a good thing, but you'll have to factor that in early in the game.
I used to be a coder. I was very good at it. Top of my class in fact. But you know what? It's just not for me. I found programming to be tedious beyond all measure. But I love computers, always have, ever since I started playing with the first primitive models in the late 70's, early 80's. So what to do? This: I'm a "network monkey", like the grandparent poster. I'm responsible for a very sizable installation, but that doesn't stop me crawling therough cobweb-infested ducts to repair cable faults, because I enjoy it. I like playing with routers, and servers, and satellite links. I get a kick out of diagnosing faults in buried cables as much as I do formulating and implementing enterprise-wide security auditing policy and procedures. I certainly like that stuff a whole bunch more than I ever enjoyed coding. It's interesting and it's fun. And we use a mixture of OSS and proprietry products, ssimply because I make the most from whatever tools I have to hand. And the thing I notice often is that developers with your attitude -- namely that coders are gods, and network people are clueless lusers -- are usually the most technically-unproficient people around. They can't even reinstall an OS properly half the time. Now run along and play some more CS, and bitch about the obvious cheaters who keep 0wning you.
It's not because 9 out of ten person answered considering/using open source that 9 out of then entreprises use it. open source can also mean some P2P software, server software or digital thieving tools (playfair and the like). It doesn't mean that 9 out of then company uses Linux. I work in AV for coorporate events (amongst other things) I do a lot of conventions with a lot of entreprise in various domain, pharmaceutical, business associations, health, governments, technology...
The most Linux box I've seen at the same convention was 6-7, I can assure you that more and more scientific coorporations/peoples are now using macs, in the past 3 month we saw more macs than ever before at conventions, if the convention was about pharmaceutical, health, genomics, physics or nanotech, the proportion of macs even surpass the windows one (one of those convention had around 60% macs, out of 5000 attendees from around the world... (APS) ).
As for the people I speak with in those conventions (rough proportions: 20% salespeople, 30-40% employees/students/consultants, 20% presidents/CEO, 20% marketing/public relation) most of them don't use, aren't interested in open-source or Linux (they know it exist but they haven't used it), the exception being tech and science people.
Don't get me wrong I am not saying the result of the survey isn't right all I'm saying is that it puts open-source in the wrong light, I believe it is indeed very common in Canada but not as much as those results reflects.
If you work on a Closed Source project, some faceless corporation owns everything you put into it.
That's why you get a paycheck. In case you haven't noticed, EVERY job that involves working for a company, they get to benefit & keep whatever it is you're working on, whether it's a manufacturing plant, a retail store, a service company, etc. Working on closed source projects is no more slavery than working at McDonald's.