The Business and Economics of Linux and Open Source - Softcover

Fink, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0130476773 ISBN 13: 9780130476777

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2002

Synopsis

Open Source has become a buzzword synonymous with growth and change in computing. Many of the Fortune 500 companies have made huge investments in Open Source technology. This book examines the Open Source movement, what's worked and why, and explains the technology to the mainstream investor and manager looking to replicate the successes of the Open Source movement. The book begins with an overview of the business motivations for deploying Linux and Open Source applications in the enterprise, then covers the details of what Linux is, understanding the effect of open source licenses on business and a view into the wide ranging open source communities doing active development. Next, the book takes a look at how Linux is distributed to the end user base and takes a look at the true costs of Linux and open source. In the final section, the book explains in detail how open source development takes place and how business can and should take advantage of it. The book ends with a series of open source business models and a listing of talent management working within the open source community.

About this title

About the Author

MARTIN FINK is General Manager for Hewlett-Packard's Linux Systems Division, where he has been leading Linux development activities for more than three years. He is responsible for driving HP's overall Linux and open source strategy and managing the firm's open source business processes. He is also Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Open Source Development Lab, a global consortium of industry leaders dedicated to promoting Linux and Linux-based programming for enterprise and carrier-class environments.

From the Back Cover

The manager's guide to using Linux and open source for competitive advantage.

Using Linux and open source technologies, thousands of enterprises are cutting costs, gaining flexibility, and discovering powerful new sources of business value. Now, there's an objective, realistic manager's guide to using Linux and open source technology for competitive advantage. Martin Fink helps you get past both the hypesters and the naysayers, so you can accurately assess the benefits, costs, and risks of open source in your organization. Writing strictly from the manager's viewpoint, Fink covers every step of the Linux and open source project lifecycle, and every crucial issue, from licensing to collaborating with the open source community of developers. Coverage includes:

• Assessing the costs, benefits, and risks of pursuing Linux and open source initiatives
• Open source licensing: avoiding the minefields
• Managing Linux and open source projects within your company
• Assessing the size, breadth, and capabilities of the open source community
• Building strong, positive, synergistic relationships with external open source communities
• The crucial role of Linux standards
• Integration, development, deployment, migration, coexistence, support, and training
• Understanding the difference between the Linux kernel and the Linux operating system
• Understanding and choosing Linux distributions
• How the open source paradigm impacts commercial software developers
• Open source business models: what it takes to make a profit from open source technology
• Applying the open source development methodology in a corporate setting

"A thought-provoking analysis of the role of open source software in the corporate environment. A must-read guide for managers considering how open source can help their organization."

—Tim O'Reilly, O'Reilly and Associates, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0130476773
• ISBN 13: 9780130476777
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 242