If only Open Source came with Open Minds...

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

I picked up the lead on this one via Bruce Hopkins who pointed out to an interesting post by Shaun Walker - No Respect for Windows Open Source.

There is a great element of truth to it - Open Source projects on the MSFT platform are looked down upon. I have also had the unfortunate privilege of witnessing it first-hand within major corporations' IT shops. These shops are Java-based and religiously (within the IT staff) anti-Microsoft. More than half the working hours are wasted in the ongoing arguments and the efforts are truly counter productive. Virtually, all discussions are based on costs - Open Source is (allegedly) "free" but if you count the hours wasted in "evaluating" via committees and arguing the virtues of Open Source (all euphimism for MSFT-bashing), the costs are considerably higher. Add to this, the cost of Open Source developers to customize/maintain the applications, where is the gain?

If only Open Source came with Open Minds...