CIOs ally to beat software firms
Published: 30 Apr 2004 10:30 BST
What kind of intellectual property?
The easiest one is source code, but it can range over a broad variety of things like project plans, say, for an Oracle 11i upgrade, which is one of the earlier ideas that we had.
Why would I want to share that?
Let's say Jostens has an application that we have written, perhaps a scheduling application that we would use for scheduling IT jobs. We would place that in the repository and another organisation, say a 3M, could use that and download it to their organisation. They will likely have some special requirements, so they would make those modifications, and put that back in the repository. The idea is we all get access to these applications that corporations all over the country have written in an open-source fashion. Everyone can improve on those assets, which benefits the contributing company and clearly benefits the company that uses that IP.
What are some of the main objections or obstacles you run into from companies you talk to about this?
When we talk about the basic idea, we have yet to run into any senior IT leader who does not really get this idea right away. They understand pretty quickly all this can be a good thing for them. I think as much as anything it is time. Folks are just very busy. So we have not run into really any roadblocks in terms of people either supporting the idea or readily understanding what it is. [The obstacle] is getting a spot on the corporate IT agenda and making it a priority.
How big do you think this could get?
Well, our vision now really is to get to hundreds of organisations across the country. Like any sort of network or collaboration out there, there is strength in numbers. Clearly, we see it measured in the hundreds of corporations.
Tell me about your frustrations with commercial software. What drives you crazy about the way the software industry works?
The fact is that IT has become part of the DNA of organisations now. We run our companies on this commercial software and it is a sort of perilous position to be in because the very thing that you run your company on is largely out of your control.
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