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http://www.cbronline.com

Most UK firms are happy to use open source software, but prefer to weigh up each project individually rather than automatically take the open route.

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leo's picture
Created by leo 14 years 34 weeks ago
Category: Industry   Tags:
crimperman's picture

crimperman

14 years 34 weeks 2 days 25 min ago

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That seems a good policy to me.

That seems a good policy to me. To blanket choose FOSS because it is FOSS is as blind a choice as only choosing proprietary software. Sensible business policies should (in any procurement/deployment situation) review things on a case by case basis.
Of more concern to me is.. (from TFA)

"One in four of the companies had made it policy to avoid open source."

and

"40% of respondents were uneasy that open source software would leave them vulnerable to censure or litigation from commercial software vendors crying patent or trademark infringement."

Seems like the proprietary FUD machine is doing it's job quite well and it is this that we FOSS advocates need to combat.

peacemaker's picture

peacemaker

14 years 34 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago

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"To blanket choose FOSS because

"To blanket choose FOSS because it is FOSS is as blind a choice as only choosing proprietary software."

I don't think it is blind to choose only free software. Perhaps they place freedom above all else. This does not make them blind it just makes them less (but certainly not un-) likely to succeed in the business world.

For example, you might choose QCAD over AutoCAD because it is free software. It currently doesn't do what AutoCAD can do. However, by choosing to use QCAD you choose to support it. You can spend licensing costs on helping to develop it. If every business did the same it would only be a matter of a year or two and QCAD would surpass AutoCAD for features, stability, functionality, usability, etc. Then every one of those companies would be saving 1000s if not millions every year in licensing fees.

You might not win today but you help everyone win in the future. Free software makes software in business a non-zero sum game (i.e. we can all win). I guess the key is to be better people, not better businessmen. Perhaps that is what the 5% are trying to do.

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