1. Carl Grant President, CARE Affiliates, Inc. Past Chair, NISO September 2007

2. Gone Open Yet? Agenda Introduction History and perspective What is Open Source Software? Who uses it? What is causing the upsurge? Are there disadvantages? What is the future of OSS?

3. Introduction Java C++I/O WIKIThin Clients Ruby Blog Bandwidth Fat Clients Networking

4. History and Perspective In the fevered state …, no good can ever result from any attempt to set one of these fiery zealots to rights, either in fact or principle. They are determined as to the facts they will believe, and the opinions on which they will act. Get by them, therefore, as you would by an angry bull; it is not for a man of sense to dispute the road with such an animal. Thomas Jefferson

5. What is Open Source Software? Open Source software is computer software whose source code is available under a license that permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form Wikipedia

6. Who Uses It? WordPress (blog) - over 900K downloads. Open Office - over 50M users. FireFox (browser) - around 400M users Apache (web server).. ubiquitous MySQL (relational database)… ThunderBird (email).. Jabber (instant messenger).. Bottom line --- nearly everyone!

7. Who Uses It? In libraries? Following many years of near evangelistic rhetoric, 2006 was the year that open source ILS products finally gained a measurable presence. An Industry Redefined, by Marshall Breeding -- Library Journal, 4/1/2007

8. Who Uses It? In libraries? 250+ libraries had migrated to the new Evergreen system in Georgia. There are over 300 libraries worldwide, using Koha An Industry Redefined, by Marshall Breeding Library Journal, 4/1/2007

9. What is causing the upsurge? Commodity/Infrastructure technology Vendor consolidation www.care-affiliates.com/thoughts Easier to procure Matching or better functionality is available More reliable products No vendor lock-in Wide range of applications now available Support options Development options More efficient use of your financial resources

10. Are there disadvantages? They re not real, but the uninformed will claim: Legally protected from lawsuits? OSS companies tend to be small. How do you know the software won t branch? Open source software lack maturity. Open source companies have no product road map. Is it really open? Is there really support? Is open source software viable over the long road? What will it cost to add functionality?

11. Are there disadvantages? Cont d: Is open source software really free? Being open is more important than just open source. Customers can have a co-existence strategy with open source

12. CARE Affiliates, Inc. Thank you !! Q & A ?? Open source information solutions assembled for you with CARE. Website: www.care-affiliates.com Office: 540-552-2912 or 630-858-9830 Toll-Free: 866-340-9580 x 801 E-mail: info@care-affiliates.com