Posts Tagged ‘open source market’

My techie friends take pride in displaying the latest addition to their list of programs that run on their Linux installation. Open source is the way of the future they tell me, Microsofts days of monopoly are numbered. I smile. No I am not employed by the big M at Redmond, nor do I foresee Mr. Gates making me a subject of his charitable contributions. But the fact remains that even when my tech friends are busy gloating over their newest open-source acquisition, they still have a multi-boot system with Windows as the other OS.

I agree that Open Source is a more level playing field where everyone is free to make their important contributions to technology without being hindered by the time consuming processes of large organizations. Most of the new path-breaking technologies in the market were developed in an open source environment. Yet, in that environment they were only restricted to being used by the techies and geeks of the world. The world only came to hear of it once this concept was taken out of its open source womb and placed, kicking and screaming, for sale in the commercial market.

Everyone loves a free ride, but how many of us would take up such an offer? The uncertainty of where you will end up is the biggest problem with open source. When you pay for a piece of commercial software, you know that it has undergone rigorous testing to eliminate any bugs, before it is brought out. Even if something goes wrong, there are means and methods for you to get a refund on your investment. Take the example of Windows Vista. Microsoft may limit its financial liability for Vista Pre-Release Candidate 1 testers to five US Dollars, but at least that is a sign that it acknowledges that it may be held financially responsible in the event of a malfunction. Who will provide this sort of a guarantee in the open source market?

The other issue is that of ease-of-use. I may whole-heartedly support the development of open source software, but when my boss is pressurizing me with deadlines, and the IT department is pressurizing me to calculate and submit my returns, I just want software that works for me with minimum effort. It is simply not worth the effort. Commercial software provides its manufacturers with monetary returns, so they are interested in making sure that as many people as possible buy and use it. To this end, they make sure that their software runs on all the popular platforms and compares favourably with the best in the market. Open source developers are not faced with these constraints. This allows them to chart esoteric new paths but they couldnt be bothered if not a single person bought it, because theyre not selling in the first place.

New advancements in software will continue to take place in the open source segment because of lesser restrictions. However, once the necessary technology has been developed, these products will have to be tested and distributed as commercial software in order for them to truly reach a large audience. Open source simply does not provide an individual with the necessary resources for marketing a product, no matter how ground-breaking the product may be.

Open source software has a niche market. It is very popular in college campuses and as of now a lot of hardware vendors are also offering open source operating systems bundled with their computers to bring costs down. I recently bought a Compaq Presario and it came bundled with FreeDOS. I was delighted at the savings I had made. But searching for compatible drivers for all my equipment and my fancy graphics card proved to be a nightmare. Even HP did not provide driver support for the FreeDOS that they bundled with the system. At the end of the day I ended up shelling out money for Windows XP Professional.

My techie friends give me mean looks. Traitor, they hiss under their breath. Well guys I love fooling around with strange new open source software as much as the other bloke. When I have the time, I indulge myself in trying out the latest open source OS variant on the net, and sometimes end up crashing my computer. It is an exhilarating experience. However, when I am rebooting and re-installing an OS, it is usually the same old, boring, commercial Windows.

Author: Vijay Ghosh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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One of the most common misconceptions about open source software (OSS) is that the market lacks sustainability. The argument goes something like this: a team of OSS developers who ‘sell’ their product to users for little or no cost will eventually fall apart as they see their peers becoming financially successful by adopting a more commercial approach. Proponents of this view argue that inevitable economic market forces essentially negate the sustainability of the open source market.

Fortunately for open source enthusiasts, both logical argument and historical evidence contradict the “lack-of-sustainability” theory.

The Test of Time

Many people hold the notion that open source projects will generally fade away when confronted with large commercial opponents. However, while market pressures can and do play a role in the OSS community (see next section), history shows us that OSS projects are surprisingly durable and resilient – perhaps more so than their proprietary counterparts.

For example, while the fate of commercial software is almost inextricably tied to the fate of its parent development company, open-source applications have a life of their own. When a commercial product’s company goes defunct or is “bought out,” the product is also likely to be scrapped or shredded into pieces for use in other applications. OSS, on the other hand, is not bound to any particular person or entity, though it is typically supported by a core group of programmers and innovators. If the original developers give up on a project, it is perfectly possible for users to jump in and fill the gap.

Some of the world’s most influential and important pieces of software are based on open source products. Software like the increasingly popular operating system Linux and the BIND system which is at the very core of the internet’s functionality are all examples of how important OSS can be.

Profitability and Open Source Software

There is no inherent contradiction between profitability and low-cost or free OSS. Though the connection between open source software and profit is more indirect than, say, selling software as a product, a strong connection nonetheless exists.

For example, many companies have found it to be in their business interests to support open-source initiatives. A company whose industry is well served by a particular OSS application could gain a competitive advantage by funding and participating in the development process. Participation in such projects is also often a worthwhile publicity campaign for those involved – leading, though indirectly, to increased profit.

The barrier is creativity. As the open source market evolves and expands, it changes the rules of the existing market. Those who can learn these rules and adapt to them the fastest are the ones who will benefit the most.

Author: Joseph Devine
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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