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RE: Why Aren't Open Source Tools Being Considered?
Subject:RE: Why Aren't Open Source Tools Being Considered? From:"Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Sat, 20 Aug 2005 20:41:54 -0400
CS Capser wrote:
> I am but a small cog in a very big geartrain, the
> opposite of a lone writer.
>
> We are in the process of switching from Frame to XML,
> and during the examination period I asked the tools
> folks if they were evaluating Open Source software.
>
> The response was that with purchased tools comes
> support. With a potential install base of over a
> hundred writers worldwide (I have no real idea of
> how many of us there are overall, we're that big),
> they don't want to have to pay someone to become an
> expert on an Open Source tool, they would rather
> spend the money on a company to install and support
> their product regardless of how the product changes
> over time.
>
<snip>
>From what I have learned (finally found a site that explained it
intelligibly, but it took far too long to find a single site that explained
this most critical point, IMO) about the philosophy of OS by doing some
research over the past couple of days, the idea is to purchase software from
a company that sells OS software it has put its own stamp on PLUS support --
*not* to download a "free tool" and use it with only your own company's
support.
Now, if by OS people mean assuming all support oneself, then of course it's
doomed, but from what I can gather, that's not what's meant.
Bonnie Granat | http://www.GranatEdit.com
bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
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