Today Oracle announced that it would provide the same enterprise class support for Linux as it provides for its database, middleware and applications products. Oracle starts with Red Hat Linux, removes Red Hat trademarks, and then adds Linux bug fixes. […] Oracle is offering its Unbreakable Linux program for substantially less than Red Hat currently charges for its best support

I saw this announcement on two blogs: BusinessWeek Online — Tech Beat and Nicholas Carr’s Rough Type.

It is very interesting to compare first the titles: “Oracle Drops the Bomb on Red Hat” versus “Larry Ellison and the business of social production” and then the comments.

While Steve Hamm is a journalist from title to the last line:

It’s a ruthless and brilliant act of capitalism.

Nicholas Carr plays the analyst card:

It illuminates a much broader and deeper tension in the digital world, a fault line that runs not only through the software industry but through every industry whose products or services exist, or can exist, as software.

Nicholas Carr analyze this from a product industry perspective. Readers of “The Magic Cauldron” of Eric S. Raymond will recognize the mistake: most of the open source related business models are about services not products.

It is not about providing a better mousetrap; it is about learning people how to catch mice.

If RedHat sees it’s core business as providing services then it stand a chance. If not, not!

What do you think? Is RedHat doomed? Is Oracle move an attack to open source philosophy?

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

I had an interesting discussion with two smart gentlemen. I told them about how my company uses various open source solutions and how we selected them. During the discussion two interesting aspects of the open source world came to our attention.

Open source vs. world

As a CIO I was asked countless times: “Do you use open source software?” I don’t see the point of this question. I am not using a development model. I use specific solutions, specific pieces of software, chosen based on their merits.

When I analyze a potential solution it is never “open source versus Microsoft Windows Server” or “open source versus Lotus Notes”. I always compare “Linux versus Windows Server” or “sendmail versus Lotus Notes”. One cannot compare a development model with a specific piece of software.

The Che Guevara selling methodology

There are many “Che Guevara” in open source community. They come waiving flags and preaching about changing the world. They are convinced that only open source revolution can avoid the …. (fill in the blanks with your favorite apocalyptic scenario).

I can only tell them that I don’t want to save the world; I only want a decent solution to my IT problem. Corporations want solutions to their problems. The “suits” usually left world rescue to Mattel super heroes.

Don’t came to corporate speaking like a knight on a white horse. Please come armed with NPV, TCO and ROI weapons!

PS: I am a BIG fan of open source solutions! I am only sad when I saw attitudes that create bad perception about very good solutions.