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Report examines open source adoption
May 04, 2004

A Dravis Group report describes the state of open source software (OSS) in the public and private sectors globally. The World Bank sponsored report offers strategies for IT decision-makers to better understand the dynamics associated with implementing open source software (OSS) solutions.

The Dravis Group report, Open Source Software, Perspectives for Development attempts to identify and describe some “best practices” for OSS as it is emerges as a cost effective solution for developing countries. The Dravis research was presented at the Information for Development Program (infoDev) Symposium.

The mission of infoDev is to help developing countries and their international partners use information and communication broadly and effectively as tools of poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.

The report notes that OSS use is increasing globally and urges advocates to address business concerns as they offer products and services with Linux support. While the initial interest in open source seems to have been part of a drive to reduce IT budgets, today system administrators and CIOs are quickly becoming aware of the longer-term benefits and ROI that comes with flexibility, interoperability, and choices. The next generation of Linux solutions is blending proprietary and open source components successfully. And the authors suggest open source projects should remain focused on interoperability and open standards.

A comprehensive list of countries that are adopting Linux, along with a case study of initiatives and legislation driving local government support of open source is detailed in the paper. Localization efforts, the authors point out, also fits well into the open source development model. Linux offers a developing country a way to bridge the digital divide, without costly licenses and vendor lock-in.

The Dravis report also looks at what should be considered before deploying open source software. They describe the ways in which organization can participate in open source from running Linux on desktops to contributing source code and participating in the development process. Projects that are impacting open source and Linux are profiled with descriptions of the Linux Terminal Server Project, MYSQL, and Wikipedia among the examples of successful stories.

While Linux advocates have long stressed the benefits of "Open Source vs. proprietary software," the argument has now shifted as choosing Linux is now a mainstream concept for IT managers. Discussion centered on the merits of open source software and how it competes or complements commercial and proprietary solutions will drive Linux further into enterprise and onto government computers, advises the group.

Download the Dravis Group report



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Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.

Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.

Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.

Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.

Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.

Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.

Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.

Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.

Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.

 



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