Consider me a tomato.
Savio posted a MySQL needs to reconsider closed source article yesterday. I'm sure anyone who knows me knows that I'm one of the ones who is likely to be very vocally outraged if they do. I agree that the mythical "point #3" is the hard part of the general Open Source business plan ... although I'd put forward that #3 is always the hard part, Open Source or no. However, before I rant uncontrollably about that, I was struck by this:
Short answer:
Yes
First let's quibble over words again. If I answer the question the way it's intended to be answered (semi-rhetorically), it would be glossing over the gross error in assumption it contains. Somehow, after talking about closing MySQL source, we are asked if that wouldn't be a testament to the power or the open-source business model. How, possibly, could that be considered the Open Source business model? It's not. It's the "we write proprietary software and give you a free-of-cost crippled version to get you hooked." Let's think about the people who employ this already:
Savio potentially gets the main point (sadly) right:
Sun still sells a lot of hardware and makes a lot of money from it. The transition to a services based company isn't going to be quick or without pain. The way to be successful isn't to jump ship at the first sign of hardship. We all knew the hardship was coming. It's inevitable anytime a company attempts a transformation. The answer also isn't to ditch trying to be a services company and move to trying to be a software company. The proprietary software companies are even trying to get out of the proprietary software business. It's got that sexy margin, but it's a dead-end place to be.
Long answer:
Yes. If the Open Source business model can save Sun Microsystems, I will be very happy. As long as it's actually the Open Source business model that Simon is talking about. However, I think something that businesses and the world in general could do with is someone showing that it is still possible to be successful while thinking about something other than the current quarter's profits. Businesses used to have 5 year plans. Now if they can get through one quarter without wanting to throw their babies to the wolves to gain an extra $5, we're all impressed.
And before you tell me about the "real world" and how "this is how business is done" I'd like to remind you that all of the currently failing banks were chasing exactly this kind of crack-like obsession with illogically growing a ludicrous rates every quarter. It's not real - it does not last - and once it breaks, it breaks really, really hard.
Marten knows I'll be the first to throw tomatoes, but I've continually been impressed with Marten, (and now with Simon and Jonathon) and I think he already knows that closing parts of MySQL would be a terrible business choice. He's one of the smartest CEO's I've met, in fact... there is very little chance he doesn't.
Savio posted a MySQL needs to reconsider closed source article yesterday. I'm sure anyone who knows me knows that I'm one of the ones who is likely to be very vocally outraged if they do. I agree that the mythical "point #3" is the hard part of the general Open Source business plan ... although I'd put forward that #3 is always the hard part, Open Source or no. However, before I rant uncontrollably about that, I was struck by this:
Can you think of a better testament to the power of the open-source business model than saving Sun Microsystems?
Short answer:
Yes
First let's quibble over words again. If I answer the question the way it's intended to be answered (semi-rhetorically), it would be glossing over the gross error in assumption it contains. Somehow, after talking about closing MySQL source, we are asked if that wouldn't be a testament to the power or the open-source business model. How, possibly, could that be considered the Open Source business model? It's not. It's the "we write proprietary software and give you a free-of-cost crippled version to get you hooked." Let's think about the people who employ this already:
- Adobe
- Oracle
- Microsoft
Savio potentially gets the main point (sadly) right:
Sun's open-source success, while great, will get lost against the breakdown of its high-end enterprise systems business.
Sun still sells a lot of hardware and makes a lot of money from it. The transition to a services based company isn't going to be quick or without pain. The way to be successful isn't to jump ship at the first sign of hardship. We all knew the hardship was coming. It's inevitable anytime a company attempts a transformation. The answer also isn't to ditch trying to be a services company and move to trying to be a software company. The proprietary software companies are even trying to get out of the proprietary software business. It's got that sexy margin, but it's a dead-end place to be.
Long answer:
Yes. If the Open Source business model can save Sun Microsystems, I will be very happy. As long as it's actually the Open Source business model that Simon is talking about. However, I think something that businesses and the world in general could do with is someone showing that it is still possible to be successful while thinking about something other than the current quarter's profits. Businesses used to have 5 year plans. Now if they can get through one quarter without wanting to throw their babies to the wolves to gain an extra $5, we're all impressed.
And before you tell me about the "real world" and how "this is how business is done" I'd like to remind you that all of the currently failing banks were chasing exactly this kind of crack-like obsession with illogically growing a ludicrous rates every quarter. It's not real - it does not last - and once it breaks, it breaks really, really hard.
Marten knows I'll be the first to throw tomatoes, but I've continually been impressed with Marten, (and now with Simon and Jonathon) and I think he already knows that closing parts of MySQL would be a terrible business choice. He's one of the smartest CEO's I've met, in fact... there is very little chance he doesn't.
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