[TriLUG] Can open source solutions be viable companies?

David A. Cafaro dac at cafaro.net
Fri Jun 28 11:04:10 EDT 2002 

Hmm, documentation?  Not sure if I have any of that per say.  But here are 
some arguments why Linux can be a good solution, and why Open Source (in a 
way this should be looked at separately from Linux) can also be good.

Advantage of Linux :

Linux is no more a fad than any other software product.  The only advantage 
that you may have vs other software products is that if for some reason 
every single Linux supporting vendor (the likes of Mandrake, Red Hat, IBM, 
even Sun, etc.) went out of biz, or left the segment, at worst you are 
still left holding the source code for your own maintenance (though not 
always a pleasant thought, better than being left hi and dry).  I have seen 
many propriety OS (and even some versions of windows) that software was 
written specifically for that once the vendor decided it wasn't profitable 
those projects were basically frozen in time from a lack of anyway to 
update the systems (with out shelling out the cash for the latest greatest 
OS, and some heavy new development time/money to port the software to the 
new base OS).  The biggest advantage (and disadvantage) of Linux is that it 
isn't tied to any particular vendor, and has some resilience to the "here 
today gone tomorrow" syndrome.  This no single vendor is also a 
disadvantage in that a lot of people look for someone to point a finger at 
and say "ah they are the creators and maintainers of Linux" and that just 
isn't there.  People aren't used to that.  It makes them think there is no 
support supply, no accountability (which doesn't matter according to most 
EULA no software vendor seems to have accountability any ways), no "one" 
company to look for.  The Linux OS system is a different kind of method for 
doing a job.  You can get your support from the big companies, or the 
little companies, or the community.  The software is everywhere, some free, 
some not (Yes you can write proprietary closed source, cost you cash, 
software for Linux if you want).

As far as "can Linux do the job?"  That all depends.  You could ask the 
same question of any OS and get different answers for different 
scenarios.  Can Windows effectively run a 64 node multiprocessor hardware 
solution for massive parallel processing?  Not that I know of.  Can Linux 
be used and an MS Exchange .NET server?  Not that I know of.  Can window or 
Linux run as a web server?  Yes both, how effective is yet another 
question.  If the software isn't dependent on a platform (ie. written only 
for Windows NT), or hasn't been written yet I see no reason why Linux 
couldn't be as effective of a solution as any other platform.  The 
effectiveness will depend a lot on who wrote, and how the program was 
written.  Did they take advantage of the platform it was written for?  This 
questions can always be asked of any software OS interaction.

I have had great success using Linux in my job environments.  Presently I 
am working at Georgetown University for the Medical Research Center.  We 
have used Linux solutions for a Tele/Web medicine project (help patients 
therapy using the web for feedback, training, support, LIMS, etc).  Another 
project involve using Linux and Postgress for a large database organizing 
research information for easy web access (through Apache and 
tomcat).   Right now we are in the process of setting up a Linux cluster on 
IBM hardware for massive parallel projects for medical analysis (I'm a 
techy and have no idea what the doctors are talking about, but some of the 
projects are drug interaction, behavioral studies, and others).  I know of 
a project up in Michigan that uses Oracle on Linux for a LIMS system that 
has been very successful (sorry, can't get more details lovely NDA's 
).  For desktop side, the techies have just created simple web-interfaces 
that the non-techies have no problem interfacing and using effectively on 
any desktop platform they choose.  Why right an entire desktop interface 
when a very capable one is already there on most platforms (even on my 
Zaurus PDA :-) ).

Advantage of Open Source:

I'm tired right now, maybe someone else can handle this part 
:-).  Basically similar reasons to Linux advantages;  you have the source, 
more control, can share with others to pull resources, free external 
auditors, etc.

-David C.

At 09:40 AM 6/28/2002, you wrote:
>BioInformatics is the study of biological information, such as DNA,
>Genomics, and Endocrenology. It's the study of the biological functions of
>the human body.
>
>Currently, I'm working on a project that requires Oracle on Linux to produce
>a LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System).  The concern that some of
>the decision makers, not here but in the bioinformatics community, is that
>Linux is just a "fad", or a passing try to replace Windows. What's being
>asked for is documentation, specifically on RedHat, that shows it is a
>viable server and desktop operating system, and that the development of open
>source software doesn't mean that the a company isn't "here today gone
>tomorrow". They are looking for documentation that shows Linux, A: can do
>the job, and B: Is going to be a good investment for the future.
>
>We all know the power and abilities of using Linux as an environment, but
>they want to see that people that aren't "techy" can use it and be
>productive as well.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: John F Davis [mailto:johndavi at us.ibm.com]
>Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 8:54 AM
>To: trilug at trilug.org
>Subject: Re: [TriLUG] Can open source solutions be viable
>
>WTH is bioinformatics?
>
>My first response is, sure Linux can do it.  But, really it depends upon
>what they want to do?  So, what exactly do they want to do? If they want to
>produce an output which is from a windows app and this particular app
>doesn't work well in wine, then its a no brainer.
>
>JD
>
>"Vestal, Roy L." <rvestal at rti.org>@trilug.org on 06/28/2002 08:48:25 AM
>
>Please respond to trilug at trilug.org
>
>Sent by:    trilug-admin at trilug.org
>
>
>To:    "Trilug-Triangle Linux Users Group (E-mail)" <trilug at trilug.org>
>cc:
>Subject:    [TriLUG] Can open source solutions be viable companies?
>
>
>
>One of our project directors, a Linux supporter, asked me to ask the group,
>specifically RedHat folks the following question. There is a big debate in
>the bioinformatics community, which has been using Linux as a solution
>because of cost more than anything. Now that bioinformatics are becoming
>more "mainstream", better monies are coming in. Now they are starting to
>look elsewhere. If we as a community can show how Linux is viable in this
>emerging field, then maybe it will help show that Linux is viable.
>
>Question to me:
>"Do you have pointers to info on how open-source solutions can still be
>viable companies.  There is a big debate in the bioinformatics community
>about this, and I thought you might have some info."
>
>Any info would be greatly appreciated.
>
>_______________________________________________
>TriLUG mailing list
>     http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
>TriLUG Organizational FAQ:
>     http://www.trilug.org/~lovelace/faq/TriLUG-faq.html
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>TriLUG mailing list
>     http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
>TriLUG Organizational FAQ:
>     http://www.trilug.org/~lovelace/faq/TriLUG-faq.html
>_______________________________________________
>TriLUG mailing list
>     http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
>TriLUG Organizational FAQ:
>     http://www.trilug.org/~lovelace/faq/TriLUG-faq.html

More information about the TriLUG mailing list