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**Building a Business on FOSS**
by Patick D. Reidenbach

What are SME Concerns?

-Poor infrastructure
-Viruses and other malware
-poor security
-lack of data and funcationality
-expensive software
-very aggressive anti-piracy campaign

"A lot of SMEs? don't have IT staff"

<marko> many SMEs? do not even have IT people Patrick says: a lot f SMEs? turn to piracy  

<kaeru> for 40 workstation office Total is over USD35,000 on licenses only office suite, os, file server, mail server - does not include installation costs 

<marko> Patrick has a prior costing... 

<kaeru> - not counting other proprietary applications - not counting maintenance
Patrick "Most companies feel they should implement it themselves because they've spent a lot of money already on licenses. But the implemenation is a failure." <marko> TCO studies claim that only about 8% of TCO is initial licensing --> 

beorn (n=beorn@fw.exoweb.net) has joined #iosn <marko> that's TCO studies from developed countries ... 

<purserj> is there any from developing countries? 

<kaeru> <marko> purserj: I'm not aware of one, but would assume there are 

<kaeru> Their company needed to rationalize their software licenses. Cost was too high for proprietary software We researched and trained on Linux 

<purserj> greebo might know 

<rjian> ursolutions start out cost was too high for proprietary software 

<kaeru> Saw business opportunity 

<rjian> - rel -saw a business opportunity <kaeru> ok rjian you go.. 

<marko> ursolutions had an in-house need that they satisfied and then turned into a business model offering to do for others what they had done internally "anti-piracy" campaign gave them additional thrust <rjian> ursolutions conduct a comparison study..
typical SME IT problems
-various licenses -obsolete hardware -incompatible functionality -incompatible file formats -many illegal copies(often carelessly installed) how to shift to linux & open Source? <marko> the strategy ursolution followed: <rjian> stage 1 convert servers <marko> migrate the servers first only directly affects the IT people <rjian> stage 2 install Open Office --> pusakat (i=xenos@203.167.88.65) has joined #iosn <marko> a lot of whining and complaining at first <rjian> Stage 3 convert workstations <marko> macros needed conversion, formats were messed up took some time to iron out the wrinkles <rjian> stage 4 implement open source application <kaeru> btw the wiki is now open publically <marko> Patrick says: you can stop at any stage <rjian> reasons why open source is ideal for SMES: -software cost free and open source - hardware cost - linux can run on old hardware <-- greebo has quit (Read error: 110 (Connection timed out)) <rjian> -stability -linux is resistant to viruses. <marko> most of the company had converted to Linux before the myDoom outbreak. the department that hadn't, got "wiped out"

<rjian> Reasons why SMEs? dont use open source

1. lack of awareness 
2.Can't or don't want to change existing OS

<marko> chalenge to convince business people that this is serious software "why don't they advertise?" <rjian> 4 optios for a vital application that runs on windows
-it might run on linux -there maybe an open source equivalent - you may use a windows emulator like VMWare?, wine and Crossover office - keep it on windows:install a hybrid system some software that runs on both linux and windows -open office -moilla -the gimp -etc..

some silly reasons user refused to shift to linux

-"where is the neighborhood button?"
-i want to install my favorite screen saver
-i want to download from the internet and play netwok games.
-IT tech staff was worried he would look supid

<pusakat> s/supid/stupid 

<rjian> hehe sir eric thats stupid sorry for that 

FUD - fear uncertainty Doubt

- you dont know anything about it informaton is freely available on internet 
- what if it doesnt work well? actual linux and open source performance is openly given by user - its not backed by any major corporation? reliable open source projects are backed by thousands of programmers. - you dont get support? support comes from campanies like us. - It'll disappear tomorrow? genie is already out of the bottle and won't disappear

Why do IT projects Fail?

- lack of planning and direction
-unrealistic expectation 
- poor projects management 
- inadequate budget 
- inadequate management support

How do the ursolutions business do?

ursolutions are IT consultant

- we help companies develop an IT PLAN
- we help plan the migration
- we provide support