Sam Hiser

When clients ask me, "Sam, honestly, how do I get started with open source?" it's usually clear that the first step is to install Mozilla Firefox on their Windows machines. The next step is to install the OpenOffice.org suite and help them plan a migration strategy away from MS Office. Firefox and OpenOffice are tactical assets in the battle for the wider use of open software standards. These two important commodity applications - installed on Windows - are the start of a beautiful new relationship for organizations with their computer systems based on lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and higher productivity. As users exert control by demanding better desktop security and open formats, we must continue to rigorously ask, "What can we still do to accelerate their open source epiphanies?" In 2010, when the desktop standards war is winding down, we'll look back and ... (more)