What's So Special About Open-Source ?
Category
Technorati Profile I'm looking at two different surveys, with wildly different conclusions about adopting open-source software. If you are looking at open-source, knowing what differentiates these studies from each other is important. Starting off, Forrester Research has concluded that the #1 concern is security. Really ? Software Development Times, has published these findings in an article by David Rubenstein which opines on the rise of open-source.
Download the print version, because it contains the Forrester summary points:
Now, if you were to read the latest Information Week Analytics Report on the "State of Open Source Software Adoption," (by Michael A. Davis) wouldn't you expect to find a correlation ? Here's the top eight criteria for choosing open-source, in order of importance:
Hm. These two surveys are pretty much upside down on the same subject. The survey population was about the same size: Forrester Research had 582 respondents and Information Week had 557. To find the split, you have to look closely (just like reading a company's annual report, all the really good stuff is buried in the small print). At the bottom of each graph, is an explanation of the population base. Forrester Research was looking at companies which had not chosen to adopt open-source, and were weighing their decision. The Information Week survey was composed of companies that had made a choice, and were using open-source software.
Information Week presents the more interesting data--it explains the justification for the adoption, rather than the rationale for delay. It suggests that even though decision makers might say they want security and support, if the price is right and the open-source offering has the most important features, then open-source will be accepted. I'm not sure I needed a survey to spell out a basic tenet of human nature.
Any restaurant knows how to present their menu to guide their customer to a satisfying choice. Sure, I want to see healthy, wise options available for my lunch. But, if the price is right, then I'm going to be tempted with the All American Everything Cheeseburger.
It's the best deal.
Technorati Tags: Open Source, Michael A. Davis Technorati Profile
Technorati Profile I'm looking at two different surveys, with wildly different conclusions about adopting open-source software. If you are looking at open-source, knowing what differentiates these studies from each other is important. Starting off, Forrester Research has concluded that the #1 concern is security. Really ? Software Development Times, has published these findings in an article by David Rubenstein which opines on the rise of open-source.
Download the print version, because it contains the Forrester summary points:
- Security of the software
- Availability of service and support
- Overall complexity
- Product immaturity
- Total cost of ownership
- Legal issues of intellectual property
- Viability of open-source communities
Now, if you were to read the latest Information Week Analytics Report on the "State of Open Source Software Adoption," (by Michael A. Davis) wouldn't you expect to find a correlation ? Here's the top eight criteria for choosing open-source, in order of importance:
- Total cost of ownership
- Features
- Security
- License type
- Roadmap
- Support options
- Financial stability of the supplier
Hm. These two surveys are pretty much upside down on the same subject. The survey population was about the same size: Forrester Research had 582 respondents and Information Week had 557. To find the split, you have to look closely (just like reading a company's annual report, all the really good stuff is buried in the small print). At the bottom of each graph, is an explanation of the population base. Forrester Research was looking at companies which had not chosen to adopt open-source, and were weighing their decision. The Information Week survey was composed of companies that had made a choice, and were using open-source software.
Information Week presents the more interesting data--it explains the justification for the adoption, rather than the rationale for delay. It suggests that even though decision makers might say they want security and support, if the price is right and the open-source offering has the most important features, then open-source will be accepted. I'm not sure I needed a survey to spell out a basic tenet of human nature.
Any restaurant knows how to present their menu to guide their customer to a satisfying choice. Sure, I want to see healthy, wise options available for my lunch. But, if the price is right, then I'm going to be tempted with the All American Everything Cheeseburger.
It's the best deal.
Technorati Tags: Open Source, Michael A. Davis Technorati Profile
- 
