Olliance :: Engaging the Community

Executive Summary

The Open Source community-based software development model provides industry, government, and academia with significant opportunities to leverage IT investments and increase organizational effectiveness and efficiency by using and continually improving high quality Open Source software. The Open Source community ecosystem provides important software, services and support components that span virtually all commercial markets as well as governmental and educational domains.

While Linux, Apache, and SendMail are well known examples of Open Source software, these solutions constitute only a very small fraction of the Open Source software available. Open Source software solutions exist for virtually all types of business applications. Open Source solutions integrating these and other business functions into powerful applications like ERP and CRM suites are also available. Additionally, Open Source software exists for a variety of vertical markets and is being widely used. These solutions, as well as many more, are available at various levels of functionality, stability, and both commercial and non-commercial support.

There are many advantages to the adoption of Open Source software. The extent to which a given enterprise benefits from these advantages depends in large measure upon how they engage with the Open Source community. This paper briefly outlines the benefits of Open Source software and development processes. It also describes the rationale for, and benefits of, engaging with the Open Source community. Finally a high level process is suggested for deciding to deploy Open Source and how to engage with the community.

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About Olliance

Olliance Group helps clients achieve competitive advantage and economic gain by leveraging Open Source technologies. Olliance Group is an independent, Open Source strategy-consulting firm, that offers a comprehensive set of education, business strategy, and technology planning services.