[Sussex] Giving something back

[Nik Butler]

> OK chaps.. 
oi oi.
> 
> It's 12:50 and I'm bored.  Bored with a degree of severity that I haven't
> felt since I was forced to study accountancy at Uni (I did a degree in
Wow, that is boring... still at least having studied accountancy you can know
precisely how long it took to take the course...

> The code got so bad by lack of pier review or the burn of external scrutiny
Hmmm but I think peer review works better when theres no political gain to be
had from commenting and bug submittance. peer review at the office can be
quite contentios.


> In my youthful idealism a little part of me hopes that one day I'll work for
> a company like that - one that isn't crippled by layers of redundant
> management - the people who had the ideas knocked out of them and swallowed
> the mission statement whole.  
personally id ask jon about working at actus.. he might have a different view.

> I am beginning to doubt that it is possible for such companies to exist in
> this country, at least not on any scale.  Everything is weighted towards
well the way to get it to work is to be BLOODY minded and just ignore people
who come up with reasons why and hwo it wont work and just go a do it. but be
prepared to work hard, clearly explain and always deliver.

> Now, in my view, to really appreciate and adopt open source software you
> have to put something back.  It's all well and good businesses in this
Well GHW have succesfully implemented Open Source in the back office. not sure
how they are putting back but then they do pay me and matt to carry on the
fight!


> country adopting Open Source software and reaping the benefits of low cost
> software - but somewhere someone has to do the development work.  More and
Id rather people did the bug submittal and documentation work as well as cover
the explaining to newbies ;-) leave the developers alone to code and improve
and work on their pet projects.


> more we're finding that the tools businesses need to run LINUX successfully
> need some commercial development to make them truly useful.  Surely this is
we ? we who ? actually business can use exsisting tools and all we do is
reducate the users. The tools are out , installe, operational and work. I dont
feel they can make more useful.

> companies should support it's development, otherwise they'll have to provide
well im pushing for a few k to spend on the debian stand at the next linux
expo. but then I was so di-enfranchised by the expo. the expo represents
everything closed-source about linux. we need a national Linux user group
meeting at which we invite the vendors. each group contributes to stand space
and location etc etc etc ..... maybe we do it at Gatwick <grin>


> In the UK we seem to be constitutionally incapable of investing for the long
no, its us IT people who wont bloody well tell management  to suck it up !
<grin>

> term good of our companies.  We carve our plans in stone and punish people
> when there forecasts are wrong - we doubt anything new and never make the
true, you should see what our chairman did to the last set of forecasts....

> (if you really feel that an imperial Britain was glorious) instead of
not me, but i might suggest we look at the industrial britian!


> In the global economy the UK is the guy whose been there for years - we may
Italy ? they started the banks... China ... they kicked off trade routes.
Ooops my History and Renaisance europe is showing <grin>

> Open Source software, it's commuity, spirit, and business model represent a
> change in attitude that could divert that fate.  Surely it's better to adopt
> a service culture, and support that culture in a sustainable manner rather
> than playing the same old game until the UK is nolonger economically viable.

> Discuss.  ;)
Ok lets review ..


Over two years Ago I went alone into the wilderness and sid to my bank im
going to give away software to small and medium businesses . They wil pay me
to install software that delivers better functionality and resources and
reliability than MS. Man did they look nervous.

Earlier this year I sold up for 120k to take a stake in a PLC which needed my
skills and product to offer to their customers and who wanted to give
shareholders a real product value. ( all traditional stuff ) . Ok so we have
had some ups and downs as the existing management and staff had to deal with
Nik Butler ... Ive taken them from 4k sales proposals a month closing on 2k of
business to 120k o month sales proposals and 30k month business. significant
growth demonstrating that the market really wants to be involved in open
source.


Long term aim of my involvement in Actus is to push Opensource into Health and
Education and SMEs. Meanwhile ive managed to encourage and move well over 60
sites to linux. Yes I am going to take on Microsoft and yes I am going to move
them out of the south. thats my aim. 

now I understand many on this list and off call me unreal and a dreamer
usually theie the ones who never get off the couch to get the TV remote cause
theyd rather wait for something better to come along.


So Im gonna get up and make a choice. If I make it loud and clear and
effective having converted customers ( old ones like Reeves independent
options ) to new ones like Maverick Media ( who watches the Sci-fi channel ).
True im not doing work on the Kernel, Apps or Utils and I make occasional
contributions to IPCOP and PHPGroupware/Helpdesk as well as Docs. But I am
making it clear that this can be done.


Ive been taking a real risk on my earnings, income and lifestyle ive done it
for something that people have done in their own spare times. Wierd no ?

Hmmm maybe I have not answered you points, and certainlu its not answered from
the developers point of view.


I guess I might wonder Geoff whats your real question... you prepared to take
some real risks and chance ? Get off the Couch , see if theres something
better on the other side ??



Nik


Note: posted late at night, whilst working on compiling stuff and copying
stuff and watching Pulp Fiction.