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Experiences with F/OSS as Marketing Ploy?
TempusMagus asks: "My company developed a custom content management system for a large arts organization. Our relationship with them was great and the value of the software was appreciated by everyone. Recently they put in place a large Management/Ticketing/CRM solution for events and ticket sales (essentially a huge transaction heavy Microsoft SQL server database). The CRM system was sold to them as a community based, non-profit software application perfect for other non-profit arts organizations. Here's the interesting part: the 'community' arts management software was developed by a -commercial- company who just so happens to be the -only- vendor they recommend. In fact, when we inquired about the system with the software company in order to integrate it into our CMS all of the sudden the client received tons of calls from the 'approved' vendor to convince them that no one but themselves were capable of integrating with it. Basically, the client has been frightened into using one vendor and is going to throw away a perfectly wonderful (and non-Microsoft based) system. Has anyone any other experiences with companies who use free/open source software or 'community' development to simply lure customers as a front? Do you think we'll see more of this type of behavior as the popularity of F/OSS increases?"
I believe Skyrix (of opengroupware.org fame) is doing the same. Yes, they have freed their code, yes you can try out the web-based version for free, however that's not how the project (OGo) is promoted: as a free alternative to MS Exchange. It simply isn't. In order for Outlook clients to connect with OGo you need a plugin from Skyrix, who sells licenses to use them. A recent post on their mailinglist reiterates this. Not sure what the story is now with the Ximian (nah, Novell) Evo/Exchange connector being GPL'ed.
Now I don't mind if Skyrix tries this scheme to make an extra buck or two from their dead and burried project. What annoys me is the way they promote OGo: "Why by a groupware server as a black-box when you can get an open one for free?". Sure, the server itself is free. But if you want to replace your Exchange server it's gonna cost ya. Read their mission statement: "to integrate with [...] all the leading groupware clients running across all major platforms". Carefully worded to cover up the fact that Skyrix still wants to see some cash.
Okay, maybe I shouldn't complain and instead pick up where Skyrix has stranded OGo. Could also use a rewrite from Obj-C to Python or saner. Anyone up for a new project this summer? :)
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Well, that's who it sounds like to me.
... I came in sometime after this.
A not-for-profit that I am involved with got a grant from the BillyGates foundation. There were strings on the grant calling for spending a bunch of the money at Microsoft, so I'm told. They spent the money, then didn't have the right software, or appropriate IT talent to administer what they bought. Someone from BillyGates recommended techsoup.com as a resource.
It would appear, at least to me that techsoup is a front for Microsoft. They recommend Microsoft solutions for just about everything a not-for-profit could use. Worse, some of the cheap or free solutions are just crippleware that give a hint of what's possible, but require spending thousands for real product: ebase.org is one that comes to mind.
When the restrictions on the BillyGates grant expires, the not-for-profit I support is going all open-source for everything.
The delusions under which so many open-source proponents labor is incredible.
Whatever..
My company is clobering the competition by the judicious use of open souse products.
Our bids are lower and our re-work costs are lower.
In fact, I hope the goodness of open-sourse doesen't come to light - it's a distinct competitive advantage that I don't want my competition to know about.
Raking in the money with little effort is FUN.
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.