mgrsguide

Issue #44

Last Update March 2, 2006

Technology Practical Manager's Guide to Open Source by David Katz August 3, 2005 Open Source is a radically different method for organizing the effort of software creation. Unlike proprietary software, where the actual computer source code is treated as a trade secret, Open Source software thrives on having no secrets; the source code is available for anyone to review, use, and improve. Furthermore, Open Source software is often free, and always less expensive than the equivalent proprietary software. Faced with ever more expensive Microsoft licensing fees and ever more intrusive and draconian licensing terms, individuals and corporate IT departments are beginning to realize that they have an alternative to Windows, Microsoft Office and many other important programs. The Practical Manager's Guide to Open Source, by Maria Winslow, is an excellent and highly useful introduction to adopting Open Source at the server level, on the desktop, and as a replacement for specific programs. It will go a long way toward convincing the skeptical manager that use of Open Source software is a practical and cost effective thing to do.

The organization of the book is one of its strengths. Section One provides an overview of the topic, some case studies illustrating the kind of benefits achievable through the use of Open Source software, and a methodology for reviewing your needs and identifying areas that could benefit from the transition. Section Two discusses the wide variety of Open Source programs and systems available, starting with the Linux operating system and its various distributions, continuing with server applications such as file and print servers, website management, email and groupware, network management, reliability support and others, and finishing up with desktop applications such as office suites, web browsers, email clients, and tools for the porting of in-house applications to run under an Open Source operating system. Section Three of the book provides a useful list of resources for learning more about Open Source and for keeping in touch with the latest developments.

Section One takes up about half the book, and is the section that would be of most interest to an IT manager seeking to convince his CIO or other corporate senior managers to move ahead with the use of Open Source. The case studies provide a useful, real-world introduction to identifying situations in which this kind of software would be of benefit, the problems faced in transition, and the strategies used to make the change. These case studies should not be skipped by the corporate reader, as they provide a foundation for the detailed exposition of the rest of the book. This section is not a doctrinaire tract for Linux and Open Source; it uses real-world criteria to determine whether an Open Source solution is appropriate, and, if so, how best to make the transition. Chapter 3, “Discovering Your Migration Candidates”, helps in defining goals, shows how to find easy targets for achieving these goals (“Finding the Low Hanging Fruit”), provides advice for migration timing, and, above all, stresses that any Open Source solution must provide value to the organization.

Unlike most books promoting Open Source, This one comes with an entire chapter on making the financial case, including ROI calculations, defining and discovering costs and quantifying benefits, and creating an ROI/Feasibility report for management.

The rest of the book concerns itself with describing the Open Source resources available. While this provides a good overview for the manager new to this environment, it is narrowly focused and in danger of being out of date by the time the reader gets to it. A particularly valuable chapter, however, is the one dealing with in-house applications. A good overview of the tools available for controlling, supporting and converting these applications to run in an Open Source environment, and a description of languages and database packages that can make these applications platform-independent is provided. Integrating these applications into the new environment is often a deal-breaker; this book not only offers pointers for accomplishing this, but also describes how to maintain a mixed Open Source/legacy environment comfortably.

The Practical Manager's Guide to Open Source is a valuable tool for anyone charged with investigating the possibilities of Open Source in his or her organization. The book is clearly written and understandable for such a person; more important, it will be understood by that person's boss as well.

The Practical Managers Guide to Open Source , by Maria Winslow. ISBN 1-4116-1146-2 Published by Open Source Migrations. 226pp $35 mariawinslow@windows-linux.com