Background
Open source software (OSS) has grown to occupy a real niche over the last two decades; it still has not been able to compete with proprietary (closed-source) software in most sectors.
Organisations now need to formulate an explicit strategy that aligns the use of open source technologies and methods with their business objectives. An effective open source strategy ensures that an organisation realises the greatest benefits from open source, while minimizing operational, technical and legal risks. It is also essential to have the right degree of governance in place.
Open source software can be sold and used commercially. It may not yet occupy a central position in the software industry; all the same, its impact on the software industry and the way software is developed and sold is profound. The financial return of open-source software can also come from selling services, such as training and support, rather than from the software itself. The use of dual licensing provides an opportunity to offer the software under an open source licence as well as under separate proprietary licence terms.
Business models:
- Many of the vendors of OSS products and services attract customers to a no-cost and open-source edition, then up-sell to them a commercial enterprise edition.
- Another business model uses an approach whereby potential customers are informed about open-source software in a company's portfolio and offerings. The company then generates business through domain knowledge and selling other proprietary products and solutions; these include commercial technical support contracts and services.
- Yet another business model is that OSS is offered in source code form and executable binaries are supplied to paying customers only.
There is now a growing trend that Governments, companies and other non-governmental organizations develop solutions internally and hire contractors for custom in-house modifications to the software, and then release that code under an open-source licence. This conference has set out to attract the best of breed open source proponents and those government departments, NGOs and mul-tinationals who see the growing market strength of the OSS movement and build this into their formal ICT strategy.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- CEOs
- CTOs
- CIOs
- Application Mangers
- Project Managers
- Development Engineers
- Senior Web Developers
- Systems Administrators
- Heads of Marketing
- Heads of IS & IT
- ICT & IT Directors
