dimanche 15 février 2004

Desktop Linux and Maturing Markets It's hard to imagine we've already reached this point, but BusinessWeek is talking about open source in the most impregnable terrain of the monopoly. I think they describe the situation accurately. Large-but-vertical deployments will provide just enough market share change to reorder the balance of power. I agree with the article that 10% is the tipping point. Two quotes worth focusing on: " "I had expected governments to be interested, but now it's on the radar of corporate chief information officers" and "In the short term, the best prospects for Linux on PCs are in governments and developing countries. Western governments are looking for ways to trim their budgets. At the same time, a number of governments, including Brazil and China, have adopted policies favoring the use of open-source technologies to help foster their own domestic software industries." BusinessWeek is giving us the market instructions for open source CMS. There is a market for "public software". Where there is a market, and a legitimate offering for that market, thereby lies revenue. At the risk of hurting my shoulder by patting my back, I gave a nice harangue in 2002 at a e-Government conference in Italy, saying governments should support their engineering talent. Thus, the last phrase in the quote above has a special ring to it. 11:11:08 AM   comment []