Open Source Commentary from Navica's CEO, Bernard Golden

June 2005 Newsletter

Learn How to Address the Challenges of Open Source Anonymity

Bernard Golden, Navica CEO, Becomes CIO Magazine's Open Source Pundit

Early Peek at Navica Open Source Whitepaper -- Independent Software Vendors: Open Source as a Competitive Advantage

Enterprise Open Source Adoption: The Anonymity Paradox

Every time I speak, and nearly every time I'm interviewed for an open source article, a question is posed along the lines of "how much are enterprises really using open source?"

You can read a number of implications into that question. First, that the questioner doesn't believe that enterprises are currently using open source. Second, that open source won't be a "success" until it is widely adopted in enterprises. Finally, and most importantly, that nobody really knows how much enterprises are using open source software.

This latter implication is one of the most fascinating aspects of the open source phenomenon. Open source is, by its very nature, freely downloadable at the push of a mouse button. Crucially, the ethos of open source is that you do not have to identify yourself to execute a download; in other words, you can anonymously download open source without registering.

This means that an open source product can be widely downloaded, and perhaps even widely used, without anyone really knowing who is downloading or using the product. In essence, this means that the user base of an open source product is a hazy concept -- known of but unknowable.

This is a very different situation than holds true with commercial software; to download commercial products you have to fill out a detailed registration form. Of course, if your use of the product eventually leads to implementation, you will need to sign a procurement agreement with the vendor.

This crucial difference between open source and commercial software causes what I term the "anonymity paradox." An open source product can be widely used without anyone knowing exactly where and who the users are. To take just one example, in my new CIO Magazine open source column (more on that later in the newsletter), I discuss the ROI the giant industrial concern ABB has realized through the use of the JBoss application server. ABB engineers downloaded, implemented, and rolled out their JBoss-based system with out anyone from JBoss knowing.

So, the answer to the question "how much are enterprises really using open source?" is "nobody knows -- but it's probably more than you think."

Enterprise Open Source Adoption: The Anonymity Challenge

Open source anonymity might be thought a curious and idiosyncratic artifact of open source were it not for the significant challenges it presents for both open source users and creators.

Users: Open Source -- No Need for Procurement?

From a user perspective, the easy, anonymous download of open source poses a direct challenge to established IT processes. Most commercially-based projects require a procurement effort involving legal, finance, and IT management. With this mechanism, organizations have an opportunity to ensure that new software is evaluated for quality, fit with existing IT infrastructure and skill sets, as well as likely impact on IT operations. In other words, the procurement effort enforces an adherence to standard procedures.

Absent the "introductory" effect of procurement, open source selection can devolve down to the choice of an individual engineer on a project. Without an appropriate process, an organization can easily end up with half a dozen similar -- but different -- open source products spread throughout its IT infrastructure. I can't tell you the number of times I've spoken with a CIO who asserts that there is no open source in his or her organization -- it's not allowed! -- and then wandered into the cube farm and found one or more open source-based projects running. Anonymity poses real challenges to IT organizations.

Open source-savvy IT organizations address open source selection and assessment explicitly as part of their project process. Well Fargo, for example, has a project review meeting at every significant project milestone. In the approval and design meetings, the choice of software components is addressed. If, for example, a project needs to use a content management system, it is expected to use one of the products on the Wells Fargo approved software list, which contains both commercial and open source products.

Some companies go even further. Sabre Holdings (parent company of the travel portal Travelocity) expects that any project that needs a component for which there is an approved open source alternative will use that product.

By implementing a process that enforces review of all external components, whether commercial or open source, these organizations ensure that their IT infrastructure is consistent and can be administered efficiently. Your organization should ensure that it has a review and approval process in place for open source selection.

Creators: Open Source -- Who are Your Users?

Anonymous download also poses a challenge to the creators of open source. While the immediacy of community interaction allows close communication between developers and users, the reality is that many users never enter the forums, or merely lurk if they do enter them. Consequently, developers may only be exposed to a minority of actual users of the product.

This is an inconvenience for community-based (i.e., non-commercial) open source projects. There are ways to address the issue and, in any case, the ethos of open source is that participants get to make the decisions. Therefore, people who choose not to participate forfeit the opportunity to influence the product.

What is merely an inconvenience for community-based projects is a significant liability for commercial open source providers. Depending upon the business model, these companies may sell support for the open source product they're associated with, or may sell add-ons to the base open source product. In any case, it's vital to know who is using the product so that marketing and sales efforts may be targeted.

A number of companies I've worked with have had an initial reaction that individuals should have to register to download software. While this approach seems attractive, pursuing it is unwise. Requiring registration would be a significant violation of the etiquette of open source, and would almost certainly permanently taint the company's efforts.

A much better approach is to offer an additional value to users (and potential users) that enables the company to begin interaction with identified prospects. A good example is a whitepaper describing a "best practices" methodology for the company's product. Another is to offer a case study-based webinar. Each of these offerings could legitimately ask for registration without damaging a company's standing in the product community. Once the process is begun and prospects identified, further marketing and sales efforts are possible. Furthermore, individuals who download whitepapers or participate in webinars are much better sales prospects, so this process products a better sales pipeline.

Takeaways

The anonymity of open source is one of its most beguiling characteristics. Whether you're a user or a provider, this characteristic takes some getting used to. Anonymity will change the way you do business, so get ready for it.

Navica CEO Becomes CIO Magazine's Open Source Pundit

Beginning with the June 15, 2005 issue, I will write a bi-monthly column on open source for CIO Magazine. The purpose of the column is to expose CIO readers to open source trends and offer commentary regarding the impact of those trends on IT organizations. You can read the first column here.

Beyond the ego gratification of seeing one's name in CIO, their decision to begin regular coverage of open source illustrates that it is now legitimized as part of mainstream IT's agenda.

Look for upcoming columns on the wisdom of "one throat to choke" software support strategies and how IT organizations should interact with the open source community.

Early Peek at Navica Open Source Whitepaper -- Independent Software Vendors: Open Source as a Competitive Advantage

Navica will release in late July a white paper on how ISVs can take advantage of open source by including it in their products. Many software companies misunderstand the value that open source can provide to their products. Some believe that including open source components in their products will infect them and destroy the company's intellectual property (IP). Others believe that collectively-developed software must be inferior in quality to internally developed software.

This whitepaper -- working title Independent Software Vendors: Open Source as a Competitive Advantage -- will help ISVs plan an open source strategy for their products. It will address IP issues, and will also explore the issues that companies typically fail to consider when undertaking an open source initiative; getting the IP right but failing to develop a rollout plan and a strategy to participate in the product community is a sure path to failure.

If you'd like to review the paper in pdf format, click here. I am actively seeking comments to help clarify the material as well as point out areas needing further discussion. Please forward comments directly to me.

Here are the first few paragraphs:

"Open source offers great promise to independent software vendors. Increasingly facing a world of margin compression, time-to-market pressures, and the need to focus scarce engineering resources on distinctive functionality, forward-looking ISVs are incorporating open source components into their products to improve their competitive position.

"With a plethora of open source components available, it makes sense for all software companies to consider using open source in their products. However, open source is not a panacea, a magic dust that will solve all problems. Every company must develop a strategy to get the most from their open source choices, and address the issues that an open source strategy raises:

"• Intellectual Property Concerns. Many companies approach this prospect with fear and loathing. As an immediate concern, many companies are afraid of the intellectual property issues incorporating open source will raise. Will including open source in my product make my product open source, too?

"• Cultural mistrust of open source. Software companies are notorious for their not-invented-here syndrome, so considering using an open source component instead of a home-grown one can raise hackles, particularly in engineering teams. Other parts of the company that are not familiar with open source may have questions about its quality, viability, and participants.

"• Integrating with the product community. Many companies are concerned about the community-oriented nature of open source. How can we support our product if part of it comes from 'the Internet?' Who can we turn to if we need help? Beyond those issues remains the question of what the company's relationship with the product community should be. Is the community a friend, colleague, or foe? Too many companies treat an open source product as a treasure trove of source code to be plundered without recognizing the need to actively participate in the product community."

Click here to read the entire paper.