I too am a man who believes in free software, strong crypto, and decentralisation. I also believe that the Internet is a global resource that will be fought over, like water, minerals, and forests.
The question is what we, the TKLX community, can do about it.
While I appreciate and support TKLX need for focus, I am also a lifelong follower and predictor of technology trends. And trends need to be considered if any organisation is to remain relevant for any length of time. Even, with respect, TKLX :-)
I believe the trend for open source enterprise applications is flattening, contribution is thinnng and, in some cases, the core contributors are ageing. Ohloh.net shows contributions for many of the established open source projects peaking in 2012 / 2013 with 2014 contributions significantly down (e.g. Sugar CRM, Orange HRM, etc). Maybe it will pick up again. One can hope!
Where might the developers be going...Cloud & Mobile!? Why...developers do like to go where the action is.
Why is this where the action is? Because SOHO ( Small Home Offices ) and small and medium businesses (SMBs) are increasing their technology adoption to remain relevant and small businesses need their technology to be invisible. SMBs are not interested in technology itself but rather the effect technology has on their business. Business owners don't yearn for software appliances...they yearn for a low cost, supported service that allows them to make money more efficiently, maybe go on that extra vacation they've been dreaming of, go home a little bit earlier, or maybe just remain competitive and in business in a hyper competitive global economy. That is the Cloud / Mobile promise they are being sold. And they will, as busy people are prone to do, give away privacy and flexibility for low cost, consumer-friendly technology.
In this environment Cloud and mobile Apps could easily become the norm at the expense of Application Appliances....for better or worse. Cheaper, more scalable, more consumer focused.
Don't get me wrong...I believe in open source application appliances as an option for those who value privacy and control of their destiny and I have centered my business around managed application appliances. But my services, and my SMB clients, are dependent on the open source communities continuing to remain interested in supporting those open source appliance-based applications...and supporting software is much, much less sexy than creating new cool software. I have had a lot of developers work for me over the years. Very few like to document, and very few like to support...they like to create. What if the declining open source contribution trend continues! What if Cloud / Mobile IS the future. I think this is worth some TKLX community investment on behalf of our client base. Don't you?
My concern you see is that the TKLX vision will get lost if the move to Cloud / Mobile surplants the Application Appliance world. My concern is that there do not seem to be emerging open source communities in the Cloud and mobile space to replace the aging open source application communities. Can we not do something to help turn the tide?
Free software. strong crypto, decentralisation...agreed.
Hi Liraz,
I too am a man who believes in free software, strong crypto, and decentralisation. I also believe that the Internet is a global resource that will be fought over, like water, minerals, and forests.
The question is what we, the TKLX community, can do about it.
While I appreciate and support TKLX need for focus, I am also a lifelong follower and predictor of technology trends. And trends need to be considered if any organisation is to remain relevant for any length of time. Even, with respect, TKLX :-)
I believe the trend for open source enterprise applications is flattening, contribution is thinnng and, in some cases, the core contributors are ageing. Ohloh.net shows contributions for many of the established open source projects peaking in 2012 / 2013 with 2014 contributions significantly down (e.g. Sugar CRM, Orange HRM, etc). Maybe it will pick up again. One can hope!
Where might the developers be going...Cloud & Mobile!? Why...developers do like to go where the action is.
Why is this where the action is? Because SOHO ( Small Home Offices ) and small and medium businesses (SMBs) are increasing their technology adoption to remain relevant and small businesses need their technology to be invisible. SMBs are not interested in technology itself but rather the effect technology has on their business. Business owners don't yearn for software appliances...they yearn for a low cost, supported service that allows them to make money more efficiently, maybe go on that extra vacation they've been dreaming of, go home a little bit earlier, or maybe just remain competitive and in business in a hyper competitive global economy. That is the Cloud / Mobile promise they are being sold. And they will, as busy people are prone to do, give away privacy and flexibility for low cost, consumer-friendly technology.
In this environment Cloud and mobile Apps could easily become the norm at the expense of Application Appliances....for better or worse. Cheaper, more scalable, more consumer focused.
Don't get me wrong...I believe in open source application appliances as an option for those who value privacy and control of their destiny and I have centered my business around managed application appliances. But my services, and my SMB clients, are dependent on the open source communities continuing to remain interested in supporting those open source appliance-based applications...and supporting software is much, much less sexy than creating new cool software. I have had a lot of developers work for me over the years. Very few like to document, and very few like to support...they like to create. What if the declining open source contribution trend continues! What if Cloud / Mobile IS the future. I think this is worth some TKLX community investment on behalf of our client base. Don't you?
My concern you see is that the TKLX vision will get lost if the move to Cloud / Mobile surplants the Application Appliance world. My concern is that there do not seem to be emerging open source communities in the Cloud and mobile space to replace the aging open source application communities. Can we not do something to help turn the tide?
Just a thought :-)
Cheers,
Tim (Managing Director - OnePressTech)