Open Source Works Because Its Giving

What if a company gave every day to their customers as a matter of course?  Most companies, the majority of companies and if I might add, a majority of IT Professionals have no clue about software development and it's dance with abstraction.  No YOU CAN NOT throw money at a project and have it be successful.  Nor can you throw double the heads on the project and get it done in half the time "TMM".  If your in a project or in a company and spew this stuff verbally or through practice, you're gonna regret it.  For the most part, I just can't understand why anyone in the Professional IT world would not know these things, at this late date. 

If the world were to be flattened by a meteroic event and all commerce stopped and life persisted.  Yes, it would be hard!  Yes, scoundrels would exist! However, above all else people would help people.  People would help people with everything, they would be open, they would give there help, they would provide a source of knowledge, they would provide comfort, they would be open source.  It is inherent in each one of us as human.  It is human to give of one's self.

Human is open source.  How can you supress it? You can not! Oppression begets fear and fear turns to anger and anger rage...  Then creativity is nothing but a fleeting glimpse if you can perceive it at all in an enviroment of oppression.  When companies try to lock you into their "Proprietary Solutions" they are only trying to survive... Hmmmm, that's a human trait, to survive, and companies are made of humans and companies would like to survive.  It is important to note, I am not saying companies are evil.  Not one bit, because companies are made of people.  What I am saying is it is up to You and I! dare I say it??? Alas, it is People that must bring our natural willingness to help each other into our companies.  Not be selfserving and not unjust to our co-workers.  Playing politics and seeking leverage points for personal gain kills all things that are good in "Open Or Closed Source" no matter the strategy.    

A couple of things here, if companies just gave their software away what would happen.  People would use it right? Ok, and people would need support! Correct!  And companies could be on a subscription model for support...  So, would you have more clients as customers and incrfeasing in revenue? Or less clients without the subscription model?   Who really knows? 

So, let's do a little math.

If We have 1 out of every ten people in the USA using a LEGAL copy of Microsoft Office that would mean 29.5 Million users.  This may not be realistic so let's scale it down a bit.  If we say 10% of that populatoin is 2.95 Million users that have actually purchased a valid license, than Microsoft would have a revenue of $445.00 per copy times 2.95 Million and that is a total of $1,312,750,000.  Hmmm, that is a lot of money and the potential for 29.5 Million customers is staggering. Its not yearly, more like every three years.  Further, many small companies use versions that are two versions old or more...  Why???  You know why?? Flippin $###.## for every computer in the house or business is a resentful oppression no matter the period between upgrades.  Blah, it just doesn't taste very good!.

Think about all the students needing to use legal copies of the software, think of all the college graduates needing NEW licenses come June and July in their Shiney NEW jobs!!  Its mind blowing..  Microsoft likes that idea...  However, do ya think all those students are buying a legal copy????  Well, reality says no...  And people share..  And they justify it rather quickly...

Now, in my case I am an incredible Microsoft customer, they should really have a day just to thank me in Microsoft Land.  In fact, Bill should just take me to lunch and maybe fly us to Belgium for a bier .  As I have VALID licenses of Microsoft on all My Macs and PC's.

However, is M$ doing me well as a computer user?  Am I rewarded as a good customer? Not really as I do maintain valid licenses on all my computers.  I can only use one at a time and the computers are not used by anyone else.  So in my case, its a matter of perception. I think, no, its not fair nor correct. However, there is a counterpoint ot this and obviously I respect it that counter point judging by my multiple licenses OF MS OFFICE paid for and updated as required.  See, I may not like it, but I respect it...  

Suppose, just for a second, Bill just gave away his product.  Well, you could download it from the M$ site, get rid of all the marketing channels, all the product handling distribution costs and just have an electronic delivery.  After all it is Software?  Bits, wires, point a to point b?  Why use a truck?  Save on distribution cost, this alone helps the planet use less power and the planet gets to be greener a little longer.  Yep, true some jobs are lost!! However, new jobs will be created, no doubt, will never stop.  Dissipate the fear and see the reality.  No, what happens to the competition, well, they kinda jsut go away... Eh!?! M$ focuses on "real" customer service and the user base goes up!  

Now let's talk about support, its simple, give software away and people use it, they adopt it and they'll get stuck.. It is inevitable.  It will happen.  Who ya Gonna Call? Nope, not Bill Murray!!!  Bill Gates' support network.  That's who y'er gonna call!! So, lets do the math.

If you have a pool of 295,000,000 citizens and growing in the United States.  If you have 10% of the population (29,500,000) that are capable of using word but only 10% (2,950,000) actually buy it and piracy runs rampant!!  Just take a trip abroad and you can get a full copy for 5 to 10 dollars on a CD... Illegal yes, should you participate in this, well NO!  But the point is it is happening and the question is how to stop it! Well, you can't.  So, a strategy of reilief is reasonable and its such an easier model.  People need support for the product, sell the manuals and support subscriptons at an affordable rate and your USER base grows.  Business must buy the manuals/Open Portable Documents and they'll want support. It is a neccessity.  So, let's do a little more math.

WOW!! $354M a year, every year, not periodically.  And only $120 a year for support.  Well, lets be realistic in terms of business and consider the $25 a month version.  That means it costs me $10/$25 a month for Microsoft products. Now for home use and small business I can ABSOLUTELY use and live with that.  Piracy dies.  Support rises, distribution is immediate and the management there of is minimal, we save trees from the paper and card board used to distribute and a support market is viable.  Business subscriptions are slightly more to cover the users home usage and there are subscription levels on what type of support.  We have not even discussed a viable growth in the user base.  This is a skeleton approach and smarter peple than I can work out the details.  But, an open society with an open source of products will thrive from people charging for support, consultation and a good HOW-TO website, subscription of course shall set you free!!.

One more very important thing.  Here's the "REAL" FACT!! When was the last time you CALLED Microsoft for WORDPROCESSOR/EXCEL/POWERPOINT help!! Me, personally NEVER. Why?? Simply, I go to the net and get what I need.  Templates and things of that nature can be a Microsoft effort and I would pay for customized company collaterial or go with generic templates and I would be more apt to buy them.

The programming support for intengration is a Professional Services issue.  That's consultation.  Done deal. 

At the very lest, in stead of having 10% of a population pay multi hundred dollars for packages, paying a chewable monthly subscription for products is easy to budget, consume and understand.  Furhermore, the oppression of the HIGH cost is removed and people are more focused spending the $##.## dollars, get it out of the way and get work done.  It's down right friendlier.  Business can justify it quicker and at a lower pay grade..Eh!?! As you well know, Microsoft is not as friendly as Apple and this alone would be good for their public face.  Helping the world compute and get real work done.    

The numbers are based on the USA Population: 295,734,134.  Its not a conclusive plan but its a start.. Iterate over it and let's present it to Microsoft soon...

tags: windows xp  os x  mac os x  microsoft xml file format  microsoft  oper source  opression  creative technology  open source microsoft office  

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