[plug] Putting things into perspective (full text for archives)

[Leon Brooks]

On Saturday 05 January 2002 22:12, Leon Brooks wrote:
> Worth quoting in your next job application:

> 
http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-01-04-010-20-NW-BZ-MS-0040

Full text for our archives:

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> Everywhere you look a business saves money on Linux based systems.
> 1)  No license cost. No audits. No lawyers.
> 2)  Nobody paid to maintain license records. (No hassles with vendors
>     over licesnes)
> 3)  No (required) system hardware/software upgrades. Upgrade when you
>     like as much as you like.
> 4)  Reduced administrator costs, many fewer somewhat more expensive
>     admins still reduces the budget. (OK look at the fully burdened
>     cost - benefits, space, equipment, utilities - of each admin and
>     then compare)
> 5)  Minimal end user training costs. Moving to Linux is as easy as
>     moving to Windows XP.
> 6)  Much improved security - fewer costly security incidents
> 7)  Much improved system up time, lower cost of offline systems.
> 8)  Reduce time lost while waiting for the system to (re)boot.
> 9)  Reduced cost of recovering lost work after crashes. (Doesn't crash
>     as often)
> 10) Dramatically reduced virus threat greatly reduces cleanup cost. No
>     more Outlook and IIS virus problems. No more macro viruses in word
>     docs. No more cost to recover from these problems.
> 11) Reduced programming cost. There is a lot to be saved here:
>  a) there is a lot of source code available. This can be used as the
>     basis of a project or as sample code for how to solve various
>     problems.
>  b) extending a large program for a modest new feature is easier than
>     writing and qualifying a new program
>  c) bothersome bugs can be fixed, you have the source. Limits the need
>     for costly workarounds and related instability.
> 12) better networking actually saves money. Admins can remotely
>     administer systems. Things connect better and with fewer problems.
> 13) excellent support (at potential savings) from a variety of sources,
>     not just one source. Actually, how often do you really use the
>     support that you buy? With products that work better, you will
>     need less.
> 14) You own your data and the systems and software needed to store and
>     process it. No vendor turn off your software or prevent access to
>     your data.
> 15) No vendor can force you into new unwanted license arrangements and
>     unwanted upgrades. This also limits instability and related costs
>     during the upgrades.
> There are a lot more savings if you stop to think about it for a while.
> The ONLY reason not to change to Linux is the "fear of change" that
> grips people.

Add to this that a reasonably sized company of only 200 people hiring an 
onsite programmer is still cheaper than outfitting them all with the latest 
Windows and Office Suite (200 x $100 upgrade for OS [discounting any hardware 
upgrade] + 200 x $150 [simple number for Office Suite upgrade] = $50,000, or 
about the cost of one programmer to work on the specific free/open source 
features your company NEEDS. Combine that with the Open Source development 
method, and everyone benefits -- except software companies.

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Cheers; Leon