Open Source Survey: One Big Surprise about Code Management

November 23, 2015

I read “Awfully Pleased to Meet You: Survey Finds Open Source Needs More Formal Policies.”

The fact that eight out of 10 outfits in the sample were using open source software was no surprise. The sponsor of the survey is open source centric.

The point I highlighted was:

According to the study, less than 42% of organizations maintain a IT Asset Management (ITAM) style inventory of open source components.

When I read this, I thought, “Who keeps track of the open source components?”

The answer in more than half the companies in the sample was, “Huh? What?”

I circled this point:

Shipley [Black Duck top dog] has also added the following comment, “In the results this year, it has become more evident that companies need their management and governance of open source to catch up to their usage. This is critical to reducing potential security, legal, and operational risks while allowing companies to reap the full benefits OSS provides.”

Is the reason companies spend money with open source commercial plays buying management? If that is the case, the successful commercial open source outfit is the one that has the ability to manage, not the technology and trends the marketers at certain commercial open source companies hype.

Stephen E Arnold, November 23, 2015

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