Open source software (OSS), of which Linux forms a component, is a mainstream opportunity these days, says a new company, iLab Enterprise Open Source (iLabEOS), part of the Epi-Use Group.
"It enjoys such widespread support - from the government, mainstream vendors, users and developers - that IT services and development companies would miss out if they`re not addressing the gap," says Stephen Owens, director at iLabEOS.
iLabEOS consolidates the OSS and Java capabilities and projects within the iLab Group. There are 30 Java and JBOSS experts in iLab, and 200 certified or degreed technologists in Epi-Use.
Owens adds that most OSS has matured into stable and powerful enterprise applications, hence the widespread support. The company debuts with two offerings: IcoSphere, a knowledge "workspace" application, and integration solutions using the JBOSS application server. iLabEOS will also provide consulting and services.
Stacking up against proprietary software
Owens says traditional proprietary software differs from OSS in that it cannot be freely re-distributed, modified, easily configured or even integrated into other solutions for sale, under certain restrictions. Traditional software does not interoperate to the extent that OSS mostly does, given traditional software`s "own" versions of standards, and OSS`s standard approach.
The source code in OSS is freely available; OSS software is generally platform-independent and licensing-free when distributed via the Internet, he says.
Some drawbacks
Owens admits that the licensing regimes, totalling 45 types, present a problem with OSS. The fact that it is often "free" does not mean there aren`t any costs associated with it either, he says. Gartner has put licence fees at only 10% of total cost of ownership of software.
In addition, the development community does not assume liability for software - providing no single point of accountability. However, says Owens, this is an opportunity for services companies like iLab. "OSS is generally more reliable than traditional vendor-centric software."
Another factor is the current uncertainty over the future of Linux. Dell has been reported as saying it cannot indemnify Linux customers against any possible lawsuit by the SCO Group. But Johan van den Bergh, iLab JBOSS expert, says he doesn`t see a problem. "When we know which code SCO says belongs to Unix, the development community will have had time to replace it," he says. "Linux forms but a small part of the Red Hat distribution, literally just the core of over a thousand other OSS apps."
iLabEOS will target large organisations with legacy integration agendas, as well as the government, pending conclusion of an empowerment deal.
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