I am a self employed independent software development consultant at 
Business Case Against Free Software or Random Thoughts About Business and Free Software
A popular argument for Free Software is that, because the developer develops the software for his own good, he has an inherent interest in keeping the quality of the software at a high. Therefore the quality of Free Software is high. Along the quality lines it is also advocated that Free Software is better tested, because a diverse set of users has run or runs the software.
That’s all very good, but if I’m a business relying on a specific piece of software to drive my business, and this piece of software that happens to be Free, how can and will I be sure that my business will be able to survive should the software maintainer choose to drop the development?
Sure, I’ve got the source code, and can continue development myself, but what if I don’t want to, or can’t (eg. I run a hairdressing salon, and now nothing of software development). I could employ some clever geek or a Free Software company and have them maintain and secure my software requirements, but somehow it all seems a bit backwards.
I’m not saying that because of the above, all software in use should be proprietary, and because it is so the above mentioned problem doens’t exist. But the product responsibility is different in a commercial situation.
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2 Responses to 'Business Case Against Free Software or Random Thoughts About Business and Free Software'
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on March 10th, 2005 at 10:33 pm
First of all, free beer
Second, with free software you would have the option to pay someone to maintain the software you use, even if the original maintainer decides to quit.
With some random closed source program you would not have that option.
And to you all, I bid you good night…
on March 12th, 2005 at 12:01 am
The hairdressers and their software
[Kristian writes][1] :
>[...] but if I’m a business relying on a specific piece of software to drive my business, and this piece of software that happens to be Free, how can and will I be sure that my business will be able to survive should the so…