[Gllug] Linux support options

[Bruce Richardson]

On Mon, Feb 27, 2006 at 04:42:33PM +0100, Martin wrote:
> >I understand that this isn't really very nice to Red Hat; but I also 
> >don't see where they get off trying to charge such extortionately high 
> >rates.
> 
> It's a free market, they can charge whatever they like.  Quite why 
> anyone pays for open source software in its own right is beyond me, though.

But we're not talking about the cost of the OS, here, we're talking
about the cost of support for the OS.  That is not a quibble, it's a
very real distinction in a business context.

For a start, many Free Software businesses started up with a
business model based on selling support, rather than software.  In
another camp, big companies like IBM make most of their money from
services and support, which is why IBM finally "got" Linux in a big way
once understanding had eventually filtered it's way up the management
chain.

For the business customer, the quality of the support isn't always even
relevent.  The customer has liabilities and insurance and insurers like
to tick boxes.  Being able to tick the box labelled "Software support"
has a solid financial value.

And it's not as if support never has value at the IT coalface.  Even an
IT department staffed solely with genius-rated infallible superbeings
doesn't have the resources to track down every problem that they
encounter with every complex piece of software they use.  At least, not
quickly, and software problems that bring down business systems can be
costing a large amount of money with every hour that passes.  Support
can give you expert help and resources just when you need it most, from
people who may have to pay you compensation if they don't deliver within
a specified period.

-- 
Bruce

It is impolite to tell a man who is carrying you on his shoulders that
his head smells.
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