It's About Saving Money, and It's Not About Saving Money -- Why the Economy Needs Open Source
by Kristin Shoemaker - Mar. 27, 2009Comments (0)- Related Blog Posts
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Shortly after firing up my laptop, located just a hair closer to the State House in Boston than the Route 128 "Technology Corridor" that winds around Waltham, I stumbled across an opinion piece by Black Duck Software's Peter Vescuso for Mass High Tech on the financial benefits of open source. While Vescuso's Massachusetts-centric angle is due to Black Duck's location and the recent rumblings that the state is losing its "tech edge," his points are pertinent to any geographic region and take a holistic look at the financial benefits of open source.
It got me thinking. Industries and markets are inextricably linked, and when one experiences a significant downturn, it ripples through connected markets, and the markets connected to those markets. Vescuso touches on the financial benefits of open source software -- the infrastructure is already there, established, and strong, and the open, accessible code eliminates "wheel re-invention," allowing developers to innovate and experiment.
Dire financial situations can be eased with open source software, surely. Moving to open source solely to cut costs is a band-aid measure -- and when the economy is shaken to this point, businesses will need more than a quick fix to survive. Vescuso writes:
Businesses need to make things that people and other businesses want to purchase, and consumers must want to buy again.
He couldn't be more correct. This is why moving to open source models shouldn't be spun as merely a cost-saving measure. Open source software is so much more than its low (or non-existent) price tag. It is capable, stable, and using it to develop new software that businesses and consumers want to buy is encouraged. It shouldn't be adopted solely because it will minimize the red ink on quarterly reports -- the focus should be on the increase in black ink it brings.
Because it doesn't only cut costs, it's a wise use of a company's existing resources -- both hardware and human. The focus on open source adoption has zeroed in on survival, but long term survival (and success) requires looking towards the future. Open source software can get businesses through tight spots, but businesses must look at how to best use it in the long term.
This is the hard part, of course. Embracing a completely new development model is frightening in any economic climate. The transition must be carefully planned and considered -- but when exploring open source options, it's wise to focus on the long term health benefits as well as the size of the bandage it initially provides.
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