How do you know if a free software solution will work well for your company or organization?

I have received many emails asking for information on the use of free software in companies or organizations. This article tries to satisfy those requirements by analyzing in depth some of the aspects to take into account when deciding to transfer the computer system of your company or organization to free alternatives.

Free software adoption can be as simple as downloading a software package, installing it, and using it on a single workstation, or as complex as deploying a cluster of Linux servers to do complex computing tasks. Here we will focus on the smaller-scale implementations of free software, which are most relevant to most businesses and organizations.

All companies and organizations should consider the implementation of free software. But in any case, it is necessary to study in depth this option, which can mean a significant organizational change. In this section, we discuss some of the factors you might need when weighing the costs and benefits of free software versus proprietary solutions.

Concepts

There are three concepts to consider when evaluating software: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), strategic value, and the compatibility of the "mission" of your company or organization with the philosophy of free software.

Total Cost of Ownership:
CTP is a term familiar to many people - it represents an estimate of how much a technology introduction costs to implement, use and maintain over time.

Strategic value:
Strategic value takes into account factors other than the economic costs associated with the technology itself. Measuring the impact on staff productivity or on the quality of services provided to clients is part of the strategic value assessment.

Compatibility with the "mission":
To a large extent, free software is driven by the community, as well as its ownership is also collective, so free software implementations base their existence on permanent feedback from all users, developers, etc. (either by transmission of experiences, introduction of improvements or changes, creation or improvement of documentation, etc.) In addition, free software operating systems can be used on old computers, extending their useful life, which makes the company or organization is more ecologically and economically sustainable. Are these characteristics of free software consistent with the mission of your company or organization? It is not an essential requirement, but if your company or organization has a higher "mission" than just making money, you will probably find values ​​and ideals in free software, in short, a philosophy compatible with your mission. In other words, there are other fundamentals, beyond the economic ones (lower costs, etc.) that make free software a better option as opposed to its proprietary alternatives.

Previous considerations about the CTP

CTP is the calculation of the total cost of the application of a technological solution. This includes the initial cost of acquiring the software (purchase price, setup fees, subscription fees or license fees), hardware costs, installation costs (staff time or appropriate consultant costs), training costs of the end user, and the cost of maintaining the software (annual maintenance fees, support costs, and upgrade costs). This full spectrum of costs must be considered when comparing solutions, no matter how they have been licensed.

The most obvious advantage of free software over proprietary solutions in terms of cost are the acquisition costs of the software, and the maintenance and update costs. Free software is almost always available for free, has no license fees or annual maintenance fees (there are some exceptions, most often in the form of managed support contracts), and updates are also free. Of course, the costs of acquiring proprietary software are offset by the other types of expenses that your company or organization must incur when acquiring free software (consultants, staff training, administration, etc.), so the software you it is free it is not necessarily cheaper at the end of the day: the CTP may be higher than that of the software that you have to pay to acquire.

What are some questions you have to ask yourself to know if the use of soft. free in your company or organization is a good idea?

Critical application support

Key questions in evaluating the introduction of free software:
What are the critical applications for your organization?
What operating systems do they run on?

Always keep in mind the compatibility between the open source solution you are considering and the critical applications you are already using. In particular, when considering the use of Linux as an operating system, keep in mind that many of those programs probably do not have a version for Linux. This implies that you will have to look for alternative software, always preferably "free" but that, if it does not exist, it may be a "proprietary" version that does run without problems on Linux.

This is especially true for "vertical software products" developed for non-profit organizations, such as case-tracking programs, or mortgage tracking used by affordable housing groups, and so on. Unfortunately, the increase in Linux use over the past few years has been primarily on the server side, which is why an increasing number of server applications are running on Linux. The desktop market is still growing much slower, but this is changing with the introduction of Ubuntu and the move of many developers to Linux.

But, let's go to a specific case. Suppose your company is a travel agency. They probably run Amadeus, one of the most used programs to make reservations for flights, hotels, etc. In case it is an independent application (that is, it needs an operating system to run) you will have to find out if there is a version for Linux. If there is no Linux version of the same program, you will have to find out if there is a free alternative or if another proprietary program has a version for Linux. In these cases, Java applications tend to "save the day" since they run on any operating system that has Java installed. Finally, if it is an application that runs in the cloud (that is, it is a service provided from a web page) there you run with advantages because it does not matter the operating system from which you open it, it will work the same.

Organizations that rely heavily on a program that is not available for Linux will find that if they want to use Linux, they will be forced to maintain a Windows machine dedicated exclusively to running that "critical" program. If so, the additional costs of maintaining that machine should be included in the total cost of ownership (TCO). In addition, inconvenience to users can be considered a loss of strategic value. However, doing something like that today would be completely ridiculous, as well as dysfunctional and impractical. Luckily, virtualization technologies have improved dramatically, so maintaining a Windows virtual machine on a relatively modern desktop is often a more viable alternative to maintaining a separate computer (which, furthermore, would be silly if that application should be used by multiple users). On the other hand, Linux also has WINE, a set of tools that allow many applications for Windows 2.0 / 3.x / 9X / ME / NT / 2000 / XP / Vista and Win 7 to run unchanged on several similar operating systems. to Linux such as GNU / Linux, BSD, Solaris and Mac OS X. As you can see, even in the worst case, in which there are no native alternatives for Linux of those programs "critical" for your organization, there are ways to evade the problem.

Software acquisition costs

Key questions about software acquisition costs:
With a proprietary solution, how large will the acquisition costs be relative to the other costs?
With a proprietary solution, how easy will it be to get discounts on purchasing the software?

Some products of this nature, such as simple tools or small applications, have very low acquisition costs. Other products, such as office suites, groupware, complex databases, financial programs or fundraising packages, or server operating systems can have very high acquisition costs. In some cases, some companies and organizations can obtain many software packages or web applications through donations or very low prices, which can reduce or eliminate the cost of purchasing the software.

Sometimes, however, the number of copies of a product that will be discounted or donated is limited (for example, an organization can only obtain 50 user licenses of Microsoft Office XP, so this option would not be able to meet your needs of a large organization.) In contrast, virtually all free software is available at no cost to purchase and multiple licenses are not required.

Implementation costs

Key questions about application costs:
How easy is the software to implement in terms of required resources (time and money)?
What kind of expertise might be required for this software, whether proprietary or open source?
What kind of experience do you have available among your human resources?
How much time, money and other resources do you have to invest?

For some programs, the implementation is very simple, and it will take a staff member maybe 10-30 minutes to install. Implementing the most complex applications, on the other hand, can take days for the staff and / or consultant since it may require, among other things, the conversion of the information from the previous system.

When evaluating the options for a particular solution, keep in mind that in some cases free software projects can be more difficult to install than their proprietary counterparts, especially if the people doing it are new to the "world of free software" . Deep down, it's almost always super easy, but it can be difficult if you still have the "Windows way of doing things" built in. For this reason, it is worth carefully reviewing the installation documentation for any solutions you plan to incorporate.

If your organization needs the support of consultants, you may have difficulty finding consultants who are familiar with free software technologies, even though this is changing with the increased popularity that many free software tools used today are gaining. en masse. If you now depend on a consultant who is not familiar with these technologies, you may need to find a new one that can help you smooth the transition to free technologies.

Hardware costs

Key questions about hardware costs:
Will I be using multiple servers?
Does the proprietary software I am using have special hardware requirements?
Do I need hardware certified by my suppliers?

In many situations, you will be implementing the software on existing hardware, which will not mean additional hardware costs. However, if you are implementing a new type of server, or replacing an old server, hardware costs will likely be an issue. In general, the greater the needs of your network (in terms of capacity), the greater the hardware savings with the introduction of a free software operating system (such as Linux) and other free software programs. Recent research has found that Linux-based servers (compared to Microsoft Windows) can handle more traffic, can host more accounts, and do more information processing using the same hardware. Thus, in a situation where you use multiple Windows servers, Linux can do the same job with fewer machines (and therefore less resource consumption).

Staff training costs

Key questions about training costs:
Does using this software require end-user training?
Will I have trained people to do "in-house support" for this software without relying on third-party technical support?

For end-user solutions (such as office applications, financial packages, etc.), training is by far the most expensive part of implementing new technologies. The personnel who will use this software on a day-to-day basis must be trained to use it optimally. Most of the ordinary personnel of a company or organization are not familiar with non-Windows operating systems and applications, so the application of a free software solution that replaces a well-known and widely used application must be carefully considered. The benefits of using a solution like Open Office, for example, may or may not outweigh the wide range of training costs that will be incurred. On the other hand, long-term training implications (once staff are trained, they only require some ongoing training and training of new employees) must also be taken into account.

However, this point that is often made in the face of free software (cheap but very expensive in terms of staff training) is less and less true. First of all, when it comes to Linux, there are several methods of minimizing the impact of the handover, such as applying desktop themes that are similar to the version of Windows that the user is used to, etc. On the other hand, the move from Windows to Linux is generally no more traumatic today than the move from Win XP to Win 7 or Win Vista. Not to mention, most users perform a few routine tasks that shouldn't take long to learn using the new operating system. With regard to alternative programs, training costs could be reduced to zero if there is a Linux version of the same application or if that application runs under Java or in the cloud. In the event that it is necessary to choose to change the application (be it free or proprietary), the training costs are practically the same as those that any company or organization must incur when starting to use one of these programs.

Finally, for software that has little or no impact on the end user (file servers, database servers, etc.), the training costs to consider are reduced to the training of specific personnel. These training costs can come to have some weight when a) you rely on internal staff, rather than external consultants, to do the "technical support" of the software, and b) your internal staff have no experience using free software

Maintenance costs

Key questions about maintenance costs:
Does the proprietary alternative require an annual maintenance fee?
Will I have to pay for security updates and patches?

Some software products have an annual cost of some kind. For practical purposes they can be considered as annual license fees, as they are normally calculated as a percentage of the license acquisition fee for the original software. The fees must be included in your CTP analysis.

Most free software does not have an annual maintenance fee, since it does not have a license acquisition cost to begin with. Some enterprise Linux distributions (such as RedHat) have annual maintenance fees, which gives you the right to demand specialized technical support. However, few organizations fit into the categories of organizations that make use of these enterprise packages, not to mention the fact that the "free" equivalent of Red Hat (Fedora) can be used at no cost.

Upgrade costs

Key questions about upgrade costs:
How often may I need to update this software?
Are the updates available with some kind of discount? Does my organization qualify?

Keeping the software relatively up to date is important. Increase stability, security, and enhance available features. It is not necessary to update to the latest version, but it is crucial to install security patches, and when desired features are introduced, or if there are dramatic stability improvements, the update can be very beneficial.

Obviously, the cost of updating a single copy of a product is much less expensive than having to update the huge number of copies required for a huge network of computers. You can often get proprietary software updates at a significant discount or, if you're lucky, you can even receive it through a donation. However, with free software, you stop depending on the "charity" or "goodwill" of software developers. Most free software has no upgrade costs. You simply download the updated version, and install. In the case of many Linux distributions, this is a quasi-automatic operation (updating with a simple command all the operating system and the applications you have installed).

Administration and technical support

Key questions about administration and support:
What sources of support are available for the use of free software?
How important is product reliability in your choice of the right solution?
Are viruses and other security problems very common when using the proprietary option?

All software - from applications to databases or operating systems - requires administration and technical support of some kind. In some cases, you will have internal staff capable of providing this service, in other cases, you will be forced to hire external consultants to do this work. Some characteristics of the software that determine the level of support required range from the degree of reliability of the software, that is, its vulnerability to security problems, to how complex it is for both end users and the administrator.

Without exception, all organizations after moving to Linux have admitted that their network was more stable. They also agree to admit that it is easier to secure your network with Linux. In part this is because Linux systems and free software programs that run under this OS are the basic support behind the Internet (almost all servers in the world use Linux) and the open nature of the code in free software programs allows developers to detect and repair many potential security problems. Partly because of these design advantages, computer viruses and spyware have not greatly affected Linux, whereas they are prevalent in Windows.

For an organization that relies on outside technical support, this time saved translates directly into cost savings. For an organization that has in-house technical support, the savings can be more complex to calculate. However, if your organization has multiple servers, an administrator can manage more Linux servers than Windows servers at the same time.

It is also reasonable to assume that the increased reliability and security of Linux systems improves end-user productivity. Staff can work longer and better if their systems are down less often. Work morale is likely to improve with fewer network outages. Most of us have learned the hard way: what Windows user never had their computer locked up, destroying the document one was writing or not being able to use e-mail during those crucial hours? All of this is incredibly frustrating.

While free software applications are often better in that regard, it is not okay to generalize Linux reliability to all free software programs. There are many free software projects that are neither more stable nor more secure than their proprietary alternatives; When doing your research it will be important to keep this in mind for comparison.

In addition to the reliability and security of a solution, you also have to take into account its complexity. Complexity can increase support costs in one of two ways: either by increasing the time required to perform certain tasks, or by requiring a better qualified (and therefore better paid) person to do the job. Regarding the first point, many organizations that have already dared to "take the step" argue that free software is not necessarily more difficult (or easier) to administer than proprietary software. An important caveat, however, is that this assumes that the administrator is familiar with the free software solution. If not, additional costs for staff training will have to be considered.

Strategic value

In addition to TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), you have to take into account the "strategic value" of the option based on free software. This type of value is more difficult to quantify, but can often be more important in the decision process.

One of the facets of strategic value for solutions based on free software is the ability to solve problems in ways that would be impossible with proprietary solutions.

Being able to modify the code in the software in a way that is best for your company or organization is a clear example of strategic value. Not all take advantage of this, but many do. In addition, if one of them modifies a free software project, they can distribute this modification to another similar organization, and collaborate - something that is not possible in the development of proprietary software or in many "closed" cloud solutions. In addition, since the source code is always available, the adoption of free software offers organizations long-term flexibility, the ability to evolve as their needs change, and to more easily migrate to new solutions that may emerge.

Control (or the lack of it) is another strategic consideration that leads some to opt for free software. Many may have had a bad experience relying on a designed software package. If the software developer goes bankrupt, is acquired by a competitor, or decides to stop supporting that product, then their customers likely have nowhere to turn for support. With free software, if the original developer lowers his arms, the product can be revived, with the support of the user community and other developers. Thus, in the long term, this approach can provide a degree of risk mitigation. Data control is another matter. Data in a proprietary format, or on a server outside of the organization's control, is a huge disadvantage for some organizations.