Ich werde am 18.11. in Berlin auf dem 2. offenen IT-Gipfel mit einem Vortrag zu Open Source vertreten sein. Sie sind herzlich eingeladen, die Teilnahme ist kostenlos. Mehr Information zur Veranstaltung.
Why Open Source is Good for German Software Businesses
I’m on the expert advisory committee of one of the German parties for the current “Internet Enquette”, a commission tasked by the German parliament with suggesting future directions for Germany’s stance toward the Internet and everything digital. At a meeting this evening, a lobbyist confided in me: “Open source is bad for German software vendors!” I gasped. He couldn’t be further from the truth. If this was mechanical engineering or electrical engineering, he’d be right. ME? EE? Germany is top. Software? Not so. Beyond a few selected highlights, Germany is an also-ran internationally. When it comes to software product businesses, German companies would benefit significantly if the dice would be rolled again. Anything that upsets the current order can only be an improvement over the current state of affairs. Open source does just that. More power to open source business models!