Re: HP Stimulus Package

[Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

BMay@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Joe,
>
> While I do agree that jumping to a prepackaged Wintel solution can be a 
> bad idea, I would not be so quick to throw open source in with that lot. 
> Do I think you should run your entire business on open source?  Probably 
> not, but it most certainly has its place. 
>   
At least right now, Windows has its place, although that place is 
steadily diminishing, at least for me personally.  In fact, if RDi-SOA 
were to run on Linux, I'd be very tempted to move entirely but alas, 
that's not the case today (and no, I don't want to run a Windows VM 
inside of Linux just to say I'm off of Windows).

> And do remember the second word in open source: SOURCE.  You have the 
> source for the application.  If you want that semi-custom application to 
> fit your business needs, then customize it.  Want to interface the data to 
> your existing RPG apps?  The DB2 Storage Engine for MySQL will solve that 
> problem when it is released in the very near future.
>   
Agreed.  The primary downside to this is that you have to learn a new 
language.  Now, if you're Java literate and your open source is Java, 
then that's not necessarily a huge investment.  On the other hand, if 
you're like me and you attempt to unravel the joy that is Python, for 
example, it's a rather large hurdle.

Another issue is that I really like procedural code for business logic, 
and often the stuff you get from open source is either OO (by definition 
in the case of Java) or quasi-OO (because PHP programmers want to use 
the nifty cool tools).  Don't get me wrong; I love open source for 
things I wouldn't code myself; I'm in no hurry to rewrite Eclipse 
anytime soon, or Firefox or any of the other tools I use every day.  But 
to say that open source has source is technically true but in some cases 
a little misleading.

The MySQL/DB2 relationship is interesting.  I'm actually pretty ticked 
off that DB2 Storage Engine was supposed to be here some time ago and I 
really, really wanted to write about it.  But I'll definitely give it a 
whack or two when I get a chance.

Joe