[Linux-aus] Choosing Open source - need background for a 30 minute presentation.

[Sridhar Dhanapalan]

2009/2/2 Anthony Hornby <anthony.w.hornby at gmail.com>:
> Hi,
> I am preparing for a short 30  minute talk on open source with a
> specific library focus for an "unconference" at UTas for customers of
> a particular end-of-life library management software looking at
> alternatives  in a couple of weeks. If you have useful articles or
> background information I'd love it if you would consider sending the
> details through to me. I was thinking along the lines of a brief
> history of open source then coverage of advantages/disadvantages/risks
> – essentially a short managers guide to when open source software
> could be the answer and how to get it through the door and into their
> organisation. Libraries generally are pretty good at community and
> sharing information and resources and OSS seems a natural fit to me
> for the library industry (as does open access research publishing -
> another issue I advocate strongly for).
>
> There are several sessions on use of specific technologies like
> Evergreen, Koha etc being presented so I wanted to provide some useful
> contrast and cover the practical selection and establishment of OSS in
> a (mostly public funded) organisation. The issues I most commonly hear
> are the perception of increased risk / support, lack of local tech
> skills. I don't want evangelism, just solid practical advice and links
> to credible articles / books / white papers / case studies etc I can
> reference
>
> We use OSS extensively at my library and contribute back in some small
> ways to a couple of OSS projects so I have some local experience to
> talk from, but there are many, many members of this list with more
> experience than I (quite possibly everyone else <grin>) and I want to
> put as strong a case forward as I can :-)
>
> Anything you have to share is appreciated.

Hi Anthony,

You can find a lot of info at http://www.linux.org.au/linux

There are some companies that specialise in implementing software such
as Koha and Evergreen. I can't name any off the top of my head, but it
would be worth contacting any that you can find.

Cheers,
Sridhar


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