Letters to the editor

Open Source is not a "business model"

Cordialia Lee wrote for CNet:
 
    http://asia.cnet.com/zd/news/software/0,39044164,39270644...
 
> Any product or service should be chosen for being the most suitable
> to use," [DPP of CompTIA, Michael] Mudd said. "Open standards,
> technical neutrality and interoperability are far more important
> than the business model itself. That's our view."
 
Open source is not a "business model", it's a development process.
Organisations can layer a business model around an Open Source
development process, or a "secret sauce" development process, or a
mixture of the two without necessarily altering their business model.
 
However, it's much harder to build a monopoly or any other unhealthy
business model around Open Source, and the Malaysian Government
rightfully objects to being at the wrong end of a monopoly.
 
The preference for Open Source not only helps Malaysia to save its
people's money up front, but also reduces the amount of control which
(rightfully) self-interested foreign corporations exercise over its IT
operations.
 
If you examine CompTIA's funding, you will discover that the single
biggest source is a foreign convicted monopolist, and it's not hard to
imagine a connection between that factor and Mudd's opinion.
 
Cheers; Leon
 
--
http://cyberknights.com.au/ Modern tools; traditional dedication
http://plug.linux.org.au/ Member, Perth Linux User Group
http://slpwa.asn.au/ Member, Linux Professionals WA
http://osia.net.au/ Member, Open Source Industry Australia
http://linux.org.au/ Member, Linux Australia

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