[ALUG] Successfully migrated

[Andreas Tauscher]

Am 03.06.2013 08:55, schrieb Israel Pascal:
> Hi Guys,
> Open source softwares cost more than commercial softwares, there are some
> hidden cost which you will pay consultants, commercial software you just
> pick from the shelve and install but open source you will have to contact
> consultants who build the software so that he/she can set it up to fit your
> needs. Advantage of open source is that you can customize to fit to your
> needs and no licence fee.

And this is the biggest advantage. There will be no software which will
exactly fit to your needs.
Proprietary software you have to take as it is. Often you will have to
change your work flow to the software. It should be all ways the
opposite way: The software adapts my work flow to assist me.
And if I pay an consultant for free software, or proprietary software
does not matter. Or it does, the OSS consultants charge usual less
$/hour than consultants for proprietary software. In over 90% of the
cases you will need an consultant because the company does not have an
IT department or the IT department does not have the time/knowledge to
implement the software.

There is no company with this support resources like the oss community.
In cases of problems I can often or nearly always contact direct the
developer and don't end up in a marketing department. Also changes and
extensions: I can have an real influence on the development of the software.

Another point often forgotten: Proprietary software is often a vendor
lock in. Your data is stored in an undocumented format. Software
damaged, end of support, supplier out of business: Your data is gone.
Changes on the software also on proprietary software possible, but I
don't get the source code: If the company looses interest on this
software my investment is gone. OSS I have the source code. And if it
will become part of the official releases other extensions, improvements
are funded by somebody else. My investment is saved.

Over the years a IT department using OSS will build up a lot of in house
knowledge normally more than using proprietary software. And know how is
priceless :).

To calculate the real TCO for software A compared to software B is
impossible until you implement both.

In the example of Munich where they save now the most money compared to
the old Windows system: Support. The internal help desk has now much
less tickets open. The downtime/workstation is now lower.

And never forget: The free in free software is meant like free in
freedom not like free in free beer...

Andreas