In this article I talking about a number of large companies (often not technology based) that shun the use of open source desktop applications, and possibly some other back-office applications like databases. In my experience it is either standard policy not to use them at all, or hypocritically, not allow their use on the desktops, but use them for the likes of web servers, or server operating systems - especially as the likes of Dell, HP and IBM provide supported solutions with some form of Linux installed.

So, why is this? Having talked to a number of people, the answer that comes back over and over again is not one of support, but one of fear. Fear that they don’t know what is in the code and that it could come full of hidden nasties that are going to infect their networks and wreak havoc on their corporate networks.

To me seems a great shame, and shows a combination of lack of understanding of how the open source community works, and also possibly a lack of a rigorous process when selecting software. There is a lot of great software out there that could bring real benefits, but it is being discounted because it doesn’t come from a major software vendor.

I’m sure if you read the small print of the agreements that come with most well know desktop applications, it says words to the effect that they can’t be responsible for any loss of data or business relating to data corrupted through the use of their applications.

When it comes to selecting software, open source or not, I would always apply the same principles of due diligence. That is, not only would I ensure that the software provided the features required by conducting a reasonable evaluation, but I would also look at a number of factors around how that software has been produced i.e. how long has the product been around, what support processes are in place, if open source, is the project quite active, is the software in use in the commercial world etc?

Highly active projects are key in my opinion to a successful product. It shows constant work both on the development of new features, but also on the ability of the projects to fix bugs and resolve issues. Many of the key contributors to these projects are accessible through on-line forums, where you can place feedback, ask questions and report issues.

If an open source project has enough momentum to become well established, then there are nearly always some commercial ‘user support’ offerings, which often give better support value than those of the major suppliers, and are often much more accessible too.

Careful selection of open source applications and libraries can bring considerable benefits to all, but it is important to put in time and effort to the selection of the software. The chances are you’ll be getting the software for a much smaller financial outlay than most commercial offerings, but it does require a bit of upfront homework. However, you should be doing this homework anyway with commercial offerings - there are plenty of cases of commercial software sitting on desktops that aren’t being used.

My conclusion is not that you should always choose open source software, but to choose your software wisely!

Miles