Open source is a viable and cost-effective option for business, and mass adoption will occur, delegates at the second Open Source Software Africa Conference were told yesterday.
Open source programmer at the Shuttleworth foundation Thomas Black says open source software (OSS) is ready for mainstream business. "OSS adoption is going to happen; we are just here to speed up the process."
Gauteng Linux Users Group chairman Ross Addis agrees, adding that proprietary software can stifle progress. "Countries implementing software patent laws are merely retarding their own software industry, and doing themselves a great disservice. OSS is definitely nearing mass acceptance."
Novell SA MD Stafford Masie says Linux is "absolutely technologically ready" for business adoption, but warns that open source companies need to be cautious in their bid to roll-out OSS. "We are seeing consumers wanting to migrate to OSS on a daily basis.
"But we need to be careful. If a company adopts some OSS and it fails, it will be massive negative publicity. It would be disastrous for all of us.
"One of the key worries we have heard from people is that open source companies may not be around in five years. But Novell has shown that it is here for the long run.
"Linux is ready for the mainstream. What we need to do is remove the business risk, and we are already doing that. Once a few guys adopt, the rest will follow. We are at the cusp. Remove risk, and I think we will see mass adoption."
Black attributes the lack of OSS penetration so far on a weak commercial model. "The limited marketing of OSS has been a barrier, but recently we have started seeing commercial support, which should change that."
However, Black says support remains the key problem. "Support exists, just in a different place. There are hundreds of people out there on mailing lists just waiting to answer your questions.
"We need to grow informal support channels and increase the number of skilled people out there. People must understand that - as with anything - there will be hiccups, and they just need to ride them out."
Adi Attar, OpenSpeak Focus area leader for the CSIR open source centre, says one of the key misconceptions about OSS is that it is more difficult to use.
For mass adoption to take place, one company must act as a catalyst, says Attar. "So far, it has only been taken on by the early adopters like techies and so on. Everyone else is waiting for someone else to do it."
Looking to the future, Black says he anticipates both OSS and proprietary software will achieve a balance in the industry. "We will always have proprietary software and OSS. One will not take over the other. But you need to be adequately informed about both so you can make a decision."
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