[TriLUG] Where is Linux today?

[Steve Litt]

On Tuesday 24 June 2008 21:05, Christopher L Merrill wrote:
> Cristóbal Palmer wrote:
> > most circumstances you'd have to be able to answer yes to ALL the
> > following questions to justify use:
> >
> > * Is the functionality offered by the software ONLY available from
> > this proprietary code?
> > * Is the functionality critical to success?
> > * Have you tried alternative functionality and demonstrated that it's
> > untenable? * Have you given support to actors developing an Open Source
> > alternative?
>
> I guess for me (us), the approach is based more on driving our business
> forward, so the only question to answer is:
> - Which software gets us the best solution at the lowest total cost?
> "Best" is pretty subjective, but cost becomes easily calculated based on
> purchase and maintenance price, setup cost and long term labor savings (if
> applicable).
>
> No software is free for us, since we have to spend time/resources to set it
> up and keep it running.  We pay someone else to do much of the maintenance
> of our Linux-based systems...and we think (hope) that the total cost is
> lower. Open or closed?  Free or commercial?  Neither matters much to us -
> only the bang for the buck (and time IS money).

The meritocracy approach. It makes sense if you can accurately calculate all 
the costs and put monitize all potential risks. See this:

http://news.cnet.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,101601-page,1/www.idgconnect.com

SteveT

Steve Litt
Recession Relief Package
http://www.recession-relief.US