The problems with open source

Robert L. Bogue

Published: 08 Aug 2005 11:00 BST

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Training anyone?
No one can argue that putting open source software on the desktop will require some training. Although there are training, support, and help materials, there's a large gap between the training options for Microsoft-based solutions and those available for open source solutions. Instructor-led classes are hard to find and the instructor quality varies widely. If you're just looking for self-led training such as a book to help your users, you'll easily find it. However, if you're looking for custom solutions for training the open source software you may find it challenging to find a trainer with experience.

Stretching support
Since support calls are all too often caused by a lack of training or understanding of how to use the product, it stands to reason that the demands placed on support will increase with a switch to open source.

In most cases, support professionals are themselves unfamiliar with open source software. They have to be trained, or they have to train themselves, and the level that they need to understand the software is substantially deeper than the general user.

Getting them that training can be a big challenge. Although open source community support is often touted by its supporters, getting people to leverage that support is sometimes a challenge. Since it's community support, there's no one central location for open source solutions. What's even more challenging is that each version of open source software — specifically Linux in every distribution — has its own quirks. This means that a "community" solution that works for one version of Linux may not work at all for your version. Also, there's a lack of fact checking in community feedback, so technical accuracy can't be guaranteed.

Acquisition cost
For most organisations, acquisition cost in terms of time for training and support is more than they can bear. It's a challenge to make any change. It's especially a challenge to migrate to a platform for which there are limited training and support options. Make your own decisions but don't underestimate what the true acquisition cost will be.

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