Four Reasons To Pay Extra For Software Freedom

Open Source Trends and Directions

Simon PhippsDirectorThe Open Source Initiativehttp://www.webmink.com/

OSI

Software Freedom

The Greatest Enemy of

Freedom is a Happy Slave

Stallman

Software Freedoms

● Use● Study● Modify● Distribute

Software Freedoms● Use

● Adoption-Led, Implement & Iterate● Succeed – or fail - early● Budget Control

● Study● Access to experts● Proven solutions

● Modify● Rich marketplace● Innovation freely possible

● Distribute● To your ecosystem● To every citizen● Within web pages & devices

Software Business Value Is The First Derivative Of

Software Freedom

Premium Values

● No Licence Compliance Management● Community Escrow● Simple Ecosystems● Adoption-Led Procurement

http://webmink.com/essays/value

No Licence Compliance

● Proprietary software applies licence terms to end users (EULA)

● Software asset management is a major business cost

● Open source licences have no end-user limitations - Free software has no EULA

● Use that does not involve distribution to others has no compliance requirements

● Key, under-recognised open source value

http://webmink.com/essays/compliance

Community Escrow

● If the vendor goes away, the community carries on

http://webmink.com/essays/escrow

Simple Ecosystems

● Every employee, every partner, every customer, every citizen can freely use the same software

● Freely create extensions or custom distributions● Software use for work-from-home

Adoption-Led Deployment

● Prototype and Iterate● Afford To Fail● Proceed When It Works● Secure vendor support when you're ready● Stay in control of what you spend, when you

spend and where you spend

http://blogs.sun.com/webmink/entry/the_adoption_led_market

Spec RFP Bids Pilot Production

Payments required

Vendors drive process

Procurement-DrivenCustomers become Users

Prototype Iterations PilotLimitedroll-out

Production

Adoption-Led Model

Subscription 1

Hire expert

Subscription 2

Hire expert

Normal staff

Per solution, even per component:● Hire the staff● Buy the vendor subscription● Spread the load to normal staff

Firstvendor

contact?

http://blogs.sun.com/webmink/entry/the_adoption_led_market

Subscriptions

The Subscription covers:● Service Level Agreement

● Making your implementor succeed

● Sustaining● Keeping the product working as the environment

evolves

● Research & Development● Ensuring the product delivers the functions needed

for the future

Barriers To Value

● Procurement Policy● Existing Lock-In● Vendor denies

software freedom● “Open Core”● Single-party

community● Dual licence● Cloud

Specify Software Freedom

● It's OK to have a “jargon” token as long as business value is meant

● All business values are the first or second derivative of software freedom

● Treat open source as a defined term with a referenced policy

Trapped By “Gratis”

● English meaning of “Free”

● Cost-cutting history● Undue focus on price

If we didn't know betterwe would pay extra

for open source software

http://www.webmink.com

Thank-you!