Meet Jamie Duncan - Our GSS Red Hatter of the Week!
This week's featured Red Hatter is TAM Jamie Duncan.

In his own words:
Responses
Our GSS Red Hatter of the Week Jamie Duncan has taken a moment to share with us some of his thoughts on Open Source and its advantages to the community. Check it out and please share your feedback as well!
Jamie Duncan- "Ah those good old days; two martini lunches, skinny black ties, and software was simply a product to be purchased. If your software didn't work like you wanted, you called up the sales rep who sold it to you and told him what you thought about it. In my mind, all of this is going on on the set of Mad Men, as well.
I'm sure it wasn't usually that fashionable, but the point is there. Software used to be something companies purchased. As more organizations embrace Open Source solutions, that is less the norm and more the exception. Most of the time, companies choose an Open Source solution because it has a lower initial investment cost; the software itself is free.
But that doesn't mean it doesn't come with other conditions. And it's those conditions, when a company decides to embrace them and work with them, that can help revolutionize IT solutions. When a company realizes that they have decided to become a member of a community, instead of a consumer of a product, amazing gains can be made.
When companies choose to contribute back actively to those communities with their own employee's time and talents, the products they use become better faster. They also have more contributions that directly affect the needs of those that contribute.
Even the seemingly small contributions, reporting bugs and providing feedback when it's requested, can go a long way towards making better Open Source products. Enabling employees to do this freely isn't altruistic at all. The products you use are going to improve at an accelerated rate. It's the definition of corporate greed... sorta'.
Is your company embracing Open Source, and using its model to create an advantageous situation within in the community?"
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