[Gllug] "Open source has its own problems" - article in Computing

[Richard]

Rob Crowther wrote:

> Has anyone else seen the article on page 13 of this week's Computing?  
> I can't find an online version of it, but it's written by Stephen 
> Marshall, business development manager, Research & Enterprise, 
> University of Glasgow.
> <snip>
> next two are just laughable - conceptual integrity and 
> proffessionalism is at least as (un)likely in the commercial world as 
> anywhere else, at least in the OSS world decisions are more likely to 
> rest on the technical merits and less likely to be taken for political 
> or financial reason.

I can only add that the levels of professionalism in the commercial 
world are enough to cause any responsible nerd to gasp.

>
> In the conclusion he states: "[OSS]'s perceived strengths do not bear 
> close scrutiny, but do highlight current weaknesses in the industry".

This is exactly the problem I face daily in the world of IT Services. 
"You get what you pay for" still carries the day. OSS is generally seen 
as free (as in beer), therefore worthless, in the eyes of maagers and 
executives. It's what Adam Smith might have said.

Richard
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