The bMighty ANTenna
News From Around The Web


Hardware & Software

SaaS Going More Open Source

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
By bMighty.com Staff

The vast majority of software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers will rely on open source software in order to save money, according to Gartner, but end users aren't likely to get reduced prices out of it.

While much of the core software may be open source, vendors such as Salesforce.com also allow developers to create extensions to the vendors' applications, and those could be developed for profit. The potential for mixing open source software with proprietary code means that customers will need to be extra careful to avoid infringing patents, Desisto warned.

">

Gartner predicts that 90 percent of all SaaS providers will be using open source technology by 2010, primarily at the operating system, application server, and database levels. The driving force will be keeping costs down: "The name of the game with software-as-a-service providers is dialing down your software acquisition costs," wrote Gartner analyst Robert Desisto. "It's really economics-driven." He said that the cost savings would probably be used to increase the providers' profits or for further research and development rather than to cut prices for customers.

While much of the core software may be open source, vendors such as Salesforce.com also allow developers to create extensions to the vendors' applications, and those could be developed for profit. The potential for mixing open source software with proprietary code means that customers will need to be extra careful to avoid infringing patents, Desisto warned.

Source(s): Computerworld UK, Onestopclick




This is a public forum. CMP Media and its affiliates are not responsible for and do not control what is posted herein. CMP Media makes no warranties or guarantees concerning any advice dispensed by its staff members or readers.

Community standards in this comment area do not permit hate language, excessive profanity, or other patently offensive language. Please be aware that all information posted to this comment area becomes the property of CMP Media LLC and may be edited and republished in print or electronic format as outlined in CMP Media's Terms of Service.

Important Note: This comment area is NOT intended for commercial messages or solicitations of business.



Browse by Category

IW SMB Tech
Term Of Day:

Boost your tech
vocabulary!
InformationWeek SMB's
TechEncyclopedia
defines more than
20,000 IT terms.



FREE Technology Services Locator!

Search our database of 200,000 solution- provider locations by business activity, technology, vertical market, and customer size. Find a technology partner NOW.

go