Public sector warned of open source myths

Government at all levels is stampeding towards open source software but should not be blinded by popular myths, say analysts.

And how the public sector uses open source will probably determine its future, according to a report from Ovum.

Laurent Laval, senior analyst at Ovum, said: "It is important to remember that open source is not free of cost – it is free to use and share. Its use must be part of a strategy as it can be costly in terms of migration, integration, training and systems management."

Laval takes a negative view of organisations which hope to develop their own idiosyncratic systems. "Public sector bodies should be addressing themselves to the needs of their users – not re-inventing the wheel. Creating your own stuff is not a smart idea unless there is a very, very specific need – that is highly unlikely."

And, when third parties build systems, it is necessary to balance the potential gains of keeping the rights with the probability that development costs will be lower if the third party is allowed to keep them.

The support of the third party community is not necessarily as prompt and as consistent as professional support, Lachal points out.

And, while large bodies such as the NHS have successfully used migration to open source to extract concessions from Microsoft, it's not always available as an option to everyone.

Lachal said: "If you try to bluff, Microsoft will not budge. It is necessary to have a project and a strategy – then they will move."

And, rather than focus on cost, Lachal recommends that users focus on the licensing requirements – to lengthen the terms of licences, avoid compulsory upgrades and phased introductions.

"You should keep your open source project on the back burner to keep up the pressure and learn more about open source," added Lachal.