Topic Areas

Course Description

MIS professionals have no choice; they must face a real paradigm shift without precedent in the prior decades of data processing. Now free open source software (OSS) is available with source code revealed for the taking, for o.s., kernel and even applications and tools. Should they drop traditional, proprietary software vendors? Why? When? How? With what new obligations and risks? What new explanation for senior management, the Board, auditors, and legal counsel?

March 15, 2003 issue of CIO Magazine states, CIOs who have implemented it (Linux) report significant reductions in total cost of ownership. Our conclusion? CIOs who don't come to terms with this revolution in 2003 will be paying too much for IT in 2004.

Should you or shouldn't you become invested in OSS? Is it "new IT negligence" not to know OSS well? One thing seems certain: you should keep your eye on this phenomenon and stay abreast of the trends. Doesn't your senior management expect you to know and manage now the potential benefits, risks and new processes?

This workshop delivers practical, nuanced best practices, tools, and approaches. It will be delivered by a team, including a 35-year CTO, computer science author and professor and a 23-year software lawyer, executive, consultant, and trainer. The workshop will include lessons and tools from the presenters' prior OSS projects, teaching, and consulting.

Attendees will leave:

• with career opportunities improved
• with a new tool for negotiating optimal terms and costs with traditional software vendors
• able to lead or co-lead internal info. tech. strategy and planning initiatives
• prepared to lead their organization to consider and decide if and how to adopt OSS techniques and components or not, including blended approaches
• with flowcharts illustrating and explaining key MIS OSS decision choices and points
• better prepared to plan, negotiate, and do due diligence with software vendors
• able to modify their internal software development training, hiring, and staffing needs
• prepared to collaborate with new inquiries and requirements from their finance, legal, H.R., audit, insurance, and other colleagues
• with basic fluency in key OSS acronyms and jargon
• with a basic orientation regarding how OSS community culture, values, and norms significantly vary from those of the traditional, proprietary software and info. tech. industries
• with recommendations for later study and supplemental skills, including books, white papers, Web sites, zines, and mail lists

Course Outline:

1. OSS History, Genealogy, Evolution, and Biology:

• What OSS is and isn't.
• How it came to be.
• How it came to include applications (not just Linux/Kernel/O.S.).
• Where its going and why now (including flowcharts of the new players and processes, glossary of new terms and acronyms, and recommended resources for later self-study).

2. Why and How OSS Impacts You:

• How OSS now has become a business reality and riddle and a possible competitive resource for your company (including selected best excerpts of market research reports, independent research, vendor white papers, S.E.C. filings, and litigation pleadings).
• How to incorporate OSS in an effective IT Strategic Plan.

3. OSS Risk Management 101:

• Can you really depend on OSS product(s) and service(s)? Why? How?
• Can you educate and persuade your CFO, CEO, and even Board of Directors, insurer, or outside auditors?

4. OSS Risk Management 102:

• Blending both Open and Proprietary applications and code.
• Technical, licensing, and other challenges and best practices.

5. OSS Risk Management 103:

• Is free really cheaper? How to budget for OSS and achieve low TCO and long-term TQM.

6. OSS Risk Management 104:

• Outlook on long-term management of OSS and how it impacts network, version control, data back-up, etc.

7. OSS Risk Management 105:

• What, me an infringer? Impact of new licensing and intellectual property rules.
• Change management of traditional processes, mentalities, and documents to accommodate OSS.

8. Modifying MIS Minds

• Updating for OSS your hiring and training processes

9. Impacts on procurement and negotiations with traditional proprietary software vendors.

10. How to anticipate and manage impacts on accounting, tax, finance, insurance, regulatory, and other corporate functions.

Expected Background:

None. General familiarity with software development and procurement norms will be helpful, but not necessary. Non-programmers will benefit; neither specific coding techniques nor comparisons among programming languages will not be covered. The workshop will have an operational, business, managerial focus for this technical topic.