Open Source as a Model for Business Is Elusive

Open Source for businesses is a tactic, not a strategy. And open source projects are orthogonal to business products.<p>Most of us are working on startups where it makes sense to leverage available open-source toolkits to solve problems rather than buying prefab solutions. But for larger and more established companies it has always been the case that service and support costs are the primary driver of decisionmaking. Businesses don't buy a box of bits labeled Oracle, they buy into the support structure that trains Oracle consultants and DBAs, and that ensures that they will be able to solve their data management problems using Oracle tools. To some extent it doesn't matter whether the underlying software is or is not open source, it matters whether the toolkit and the techniques that that software represents can be used to solve problems effectively.<p>In situations where you need to be monkeying with the inner workings of your infrastructure; open source is a clear win, likewise when you are strapped for cash. But if you have cash on hand and a well supported solution that covers your use case; a packaged solution from a vendor may be a better value.

The missing point in the article is the role that OS software has in the Internet Companies. The greater economic impact is the savings and flexibility that has companies to run on a OS platform.<p>I would like to hear an estimation of how costly would be to run the Internet with only proprietary software.

<i>“In the current economic context, all companies are looking for cost-effective I.T. solutions, and systems based on open-source software are increasingly emerging as viable alternatives to proprietary solutions,” said the European Commission’s competition chief, Neelie Kroes, in a recent statement. “The commission has to ensure that such alternatives would continue to be available.”</i><p>Well ma'am, I've got good news and bad news for you. The good news: MySQL will continue to be available, regardless of what you do. The bad news: MySQL will continue to be available regardless of what you do.

@olefoo is right.. Open source is definitely a tactics! For startup inc, it is a excellent to build a product to sell for profits.<p>The same is for Enterprise Software... it is also a tactics..

I agree and I think relevant Govt regulation can boost Open source software sales.