All software has an expiry date

In your recent analysis you make the point that “no one knows how long these software projects will last” (Has open source come of age?).

True, but how many times have we been burned by proprietary companies going under, firms merging and so on? This is especially problematic for those of us working in niche or mature markets where business models can critically disavantage customers.

There is no guarantee that software of any kind will last. In fact, you should count on it not lasting, which is why open source is appealing: there is no vendor lock-in, it’s a competitive market and you’re in the driving seat when it comes to development and customisation. We expect and prepare for inevitable change in part by investing in infrastructure that is more amenable to change events and not locked down.

After years of vendor lock-in, extreme pay-per-use abuse and developer restrictions that held us back, our agency’s move to open source has saved taxpayers a bundle and enabled us to innovate in ways we were not allowed to before.

George D