Slashdot Mirror
Evaluating Open Source
CowboyRobot writes "Jordan Hubbard cofounded FreeBSD and now oversees the Darwin implementation of BSD for Apple. He describes open source as 'finally being openly acknowledged as a commercial engineering force-multiplier and important option for avoiding significant software development costs.' And thus, companies need to know how to evaluate open source engineering as an option for them. In a new article titled Open Source to the Core, Hubbard goes through a typical open source adoption process."
Maybe a little better than seeing all of Microsoft's code open sourced, but don't count on seeing any of Apple's proprietary code. Sure, if we could see the source for everything, right now, we could accomplish awesome things. But what is the incentive for most any software company to release their code when it is almost solely the act of keeping it proprietary that generates their income? If you want to see real changes in commercial software in regards to general openness, then we need to see real changes in the global and local economic model.
I am feeling fat and sassy
"investigation, evaluation, adoption, and communication"
Isn't this true for just about every migration plans?
Investigate -- find out if this will do what you want it to do.
Evaluate -- dig deeper into the idea. Get a better feasibility study with numbers and monetary figures. Make cool looking presentations to the higher-ups that sign the checks.
Adoption -- this is where you SLOWLY incorporate the new with the old. Make sure everything is working well. People may have to do double-duty to work with both systems just so they can give it their blessing (that it all works properly). This is where you train a "core" group of support folks from each department so they burden you less.
Communication -- this really should be earlier on, before adoption. Find people who run this stuff already and communicate whether it may work for you too. See if you can get a "we'll help you through it" before you even adopt.
Again, this isn't anything strictly for Open Source. I'm sure there are nuances and cultures, yadda yadda yadda...but a good plan of action helps minimize risk with ANY project.
I agree. In my experience over the last several years, I've found people who use OSS projects tend to be more self-starters, curious, and technically adept.
I joke that you learn a lot with Linux, et al, because you *have* to. Show me someone who is running Linux (or BSD) at home and I'll show you someone who knows and likes computers.