Hi, On 1/25/08, MJ Ray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> A related Q: is starting a new enterprise with 100% free software much > easier than switching an existing one away from proprietary software? > Does that suggest barriers to entry are raised by proprietary software > producers? Are such barriers fair or in keeping with a free market? It's definitely easier to "start as you mean to go on" than switch at a later date. Just some of the problems of switching: - vendor lock-in through binary formats without sufficent import/export - cost of implementing (installing, configuring, converting legacy files) new software - procedures (paper and software) that get written to specific software - (re)training of staff to use new software Aside from bug fix "upgrades", I suspect most companies are reluctant to change. If it ain't broke... (yes, I know, proprietary software is broken by design etc etc). I don't think it's an issue of whether the barriers are fair or not (the non-fair barriers are in the minority), the biggest problem is simply corporate inertia. A. _______________________________________________ Fsfe-uk mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-uk
