“Linux strengths were discussed, the cost and its resilience.
There were a few concerns regarding the application availability to
suit its specific business needs. Bearing in mind that whatever the
operation, a drastic change would require that all the main
business processes should be accommodated as well as sector
specific processes.”
“Many commercial software vendors can supply Linux versions
of their product, but some customers may not want to retain the
same application vendor and would like to move to an alternative.
This is an ideal opportunity for the Linux community to pick
up. There are always concerns with the unknown. Where can a
business application be sourced? How much does it cost? Who will
support it? Who can migrate the data from an original source? Valid
points, when planning for an upheaval.”
“Here are some answers and surprises. Resource is not really an
issue; Linux is not really a native environment. There are many
talented UNIX experts, and current system administration and
security staff can learn Linux relatively quickly. The perception
of sourcing the application to a sector specific business is merely
an illusion. The OpenSource Initiative is an oracle for any type of
concerns and that includes the specialised applications too.
Applications are categorised and relevant links to the suppliers of
software and services exist, in their droves. There are not one or
two, but hundreds.”