V-in-V (Indonesian Blogger in Saigon)

Yesterday I gave a presentation about Open Source Business Applications for Vina Consulting at the Saigon Times Club.  We just had a short time to prepare for it but I think my translator, Triet, and I did an okay job though we only received one question.

After assessing my presentation last night, I decided I really needed a new approach to convince businesses to use more open source applications.  Yesterday I kept focussing on the reasons to switch to Linux and Open Source and realized too late that I should have emphasised the reasons to switch to open source.  Many times people assume that I want them to switch to open source and Linux completely which is far from the truth.

With the Saigon Linux Group, now part of Vscapeone, Tony and I felt that you should not force companies to switch to open source solutions.  Instead we should encourage them continue to use Windows, if they so please, and instead focus on the more critical systems such as the firewalls, servers, ERPs, etc.  I think I will move back to that perspective again.

Why force somebody to use Linux or open source if they are not ready to take the ‘risk’?  In Vietnam, especially now, it will not work.  What will work is if you make recommendations where existing IT staff and users will not have to make drastic changes.  You can do that with ERPs, servers, firewalls, etc., since it will be third party vendors maintaining these systems, not local IT staff.

I will do some more research and draft a new set of slides for the next presentation.

You can read more about yesterday’s workshop at this URL (Vietnamese): http://www.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/kinhteso/toancanh/10012/

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