Image provided by afsilva via Flickr




    Commercial Open Source
    Mike Diliberto


Tuesday, January 26, 2010
My Story

    ✤    Originally studied Computer Science

          ✤    Discovered that I was not
               passionate about writing code

    ✤    Started working in R&D

          ✤    Because I am passionate about
               solving problems

    ✤    Started my career in corporate America
         (Circuit City), later worked for a New
         Zealand startup, and now at
         MindTouch                                    Mike Diliberto
                                                      @mikediliberto
                                                  mikediliberto@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
From this




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
To this




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
My Story
    ✤    Originally studied Computer Science

          ✤    Discovered that I was not passionate about
               writing code

    ✤    Started working in R&D

          ✤    Because I am passionate about solving
               problems

    ✤    Started my career in corporate America (Circuit
         City), later worked for a New Zealand startup and
         now at MindTouch

    ✤    Working for a small, resource constrained firm
         taught me how to make the most of the resources
         on hand.

    ✤    Being accountable for the money I spent (and
                                                                 Mike Diliberto
         made!) made me passionate about business                @mikediliberto
                                                             mikediliberto@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Today’s Topics

    ✤    What is Closed Source?

    ✤    What is Open Source?

    ✤    Why Open Source?

    ✤    Value in Support

    ✤    Building value in functional
         delineation


                                        Image courtesy of mark van de wouw via Flickr

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
What is closed source?




    ✤    Only compiled code leaves the building*.




*mostly
 Tuesday, January 26, 2010
What is closed source?

                            Source Code    Compiled Code




                                            Winword.exe




                                          Customer
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How do you build
    closed source?

    ✤    There are a lot of different
         development methods, here is
         one:
    Requirements



                   Design



                            Write Software




                                       Test Software



                                                       Ship Software




                                                                       Image provided by tinyfroglet via flickr
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How do you build
    closed source?

    ✤    There are a lot of different
         development methods, here is
         one:
    Requirements



                   Design



                            Write Software




                                       Test Software



                                                       Ship Software




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How do you build
    closed source?

    ✤    There are a lot of different
         development methods, here is
         one:
    Requirements
                                                                              Issue:
                   Design                                              All of these activities
                                                                          occur internally
                            Write Software




                                       Test Software



                                                       Ship Software




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Ok, So what
    about Open
    Source




                            Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The big difference: how it is built



    Requirements



                   Design



                            Write Software




                                       Test Software



                                                       Ship Software




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The big difference: how it is built



    Requirements
                                                                            Difference:
                   Design                                                Some or all of these
                                                                       activities occur publicly
                            Write Software




                                       Test Software



                                                       Ship Software




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Open Source is different

                            Source Code         Compiled Code




                                                OpenOffice.exe




                                          Customer
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Why Open
    Source?
    “Proprietary
    software developers
    have the advantage
    of money; free
    software developers
    need to make
    advantages for each
    other”
    - Richard Stallman      Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sharing is good




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Fast-track development




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
One more thing...



                            Vs.




                             Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Need more
    reasons?

    ✤    Consumer Driven Innovation

    ✤    Get the product out the door!
         (good, fast, and cheap!)

    ✤    Marketing / Leads
         (Community)

    ✤    Market penetration



                                         Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
So, if people can get it for free,
                how do you make money?




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Revenue

    ✤    Services:

          ✤    Support

          ✤    Custom design and
               development (in moderation)

    ✤    Functional Delineation:

          ✤    Build a commercial offering
               using your Open Source
               product as a base or
               framework
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Support

    ✤    Paradox:

          ✤    Corporate users want a butt to
               kick

          ✤     Open Source is typically not
               supported

    ✤    The most popular
         commercialization method (for
         now) is to provide support to
         customers or provide a supported
         version for a fee.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Functional Delineation (huh?)




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Functional Delineation: How?

                                                        User	
  requested	
  features	
  /	
  
                                                        Community	
  contributions
               Functionality




                                                                                Internal Development
                                  Commercial                                         Framework


                                  Open Source                                            New	
                               High	
  Value	
  Add
                                                                                      Commercial	
  
                               High	
  Value	
  Add                                   Capabilities	
                         Low	
  Value	
  Add
                                                                                        New	
  OSS	
  
                               Low	
  Value	
  Add                                     Capabilities	
                          Open	
  Source
                                 Open	
  Source                                                                                Capabilities	
  
                                 	
  Capabilities	
  

                                 Version n                                                                                   Version n + 1
                                                                                Graph Courtesy Gartner Research Group 2009
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Marketing.                   (Or, thank goodness for social media!)




    ✤    Open Source marketing budgets are usually pretty small

    ✤    So, spend where it counts:

          ✤    Google Ad Words

          ✤    Social Media

          ✤    Trade show (sometimes)

          ✤    Speaking engagements at RefreshSD

    ✤    Word of mouth

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Word of Mouth / Community

    ✤    Love your community, they are your most valuable resource!!

    ✤    In our recent survey, 75% of commercial Open Source firms have or
         plan to hire a community manager.

    ✤    Spend time in the community:

          ✤    Online

          ✤    Real life

    ✤    Spend time with the users


Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Love your data
    ✤    Gather data like it is your job - even if you do nothing with it!

    ✤    CRM

    ✤    Lead tracking / lead scoring

          ✤    Know your people:

                ✤   What are they doing?

                ✤   Where can you help?

                ✤   Do you <3 statistics? learn.

          ✤    Every commercial Open Source firm that we surveyed is doing this

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
You can do that with our software?




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
How do I get involved?




Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Image provided by afsilva via Flickr




    Thank You!
    Mike Diliberto


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Commercial Open Source

  • 1.
    Image provided byafsilva via Flickr Commercial Open Source Mike Diliberto Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 2.
    My Story ✤ Originally studied Computer Science ✤ Discovered that I was not passionate about writing code ✤ Started working in R&D ✤ Because I am passionate about solving problems ✤ Started my career in corporate America (Circuit City), later worked for a New Zealand startup, and now at MindTouch Mike Diliberto @mikediliberto mikediliberto@gmail.com Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
    My Story ✤ Originally studied Computer Science ✤ Discovered that I was not passionate about writing code ✤ Started working in R&D ✤ Because I am passionate about solving problems ✤ Started my career in corporate America (Circuit City), later worked for a New Zealand startup and now at MindTouch ✤ Working for a small, resource constrained firm taught me how to make the most of the resources on hand. ✤ Being accountable for the money I spent (and Mike Diliberto made!) made me passionate about business @mikediliberto mikediliberto@gmail.com Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 6.
    Today’s Topics ✤ What is Closed Source? ✤ What is Open Source? ✤ Why Open Source? ✤ Value in Support ✤ Building value in functional delineation Image courtesy of mark van de wouw via Flickr Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 7.
    What is closedsource? ✤ Only compiled code leaves the building*. *mostly Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 8.
    What is closedsource? Source Code Compiled Code Winword.exe Customer Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 9.
    How do youbuild closed source? ✤ There are a lot of different development methods, here is one: Requirements Design Write Software Test Software Ship Software Image provided by tinyfroglet via flickr Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 10.
    How do youbuild closed source? ✤ There are a lot of different development methods, here is one: Requirements Design Write Software Test Software Ship Software Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 11.
    How do youbuild closed source? ✤ There are a lot of different development methods, here is one: Requirements Issue: Design All of these activities occur internally Write Software Test Software Ship Software Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 12.
    Ok, So what about Open Source Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 13.
    The big difference:how it is built Requirements Design Write Software Test Software Ship Software Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 14.
    The big difference:how it is built Requirements Difference: Design Some or all of these activities occur publicly Write Software Test Software Ship Software Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 15.
    Open Source isdifferent Source Code Compiled Code OpenOffice.exe Customer Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 16.
    Why Open Source? “Proprietary software developers have the advantage of money; free software developers need to make advantages for each other” - Richard Stallman Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 17.
    Sharing is good Tuesday,January 26, 2010
  • 18.
  • 19.
    One more thing... Vs. Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 20.
    Need more reasons? ✤ Consumer Driven Innovation ✤ Get the product out the door! (good, fast, and cheap!) ✤ Marketing / Leads (Community) ✤ Market penetration Photo courtesy of bratmandeux via Flickr Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 21.
    So, if peoplecan get it for free, how do you make money? Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 22.
    Revenue ✤ Services: ✤ Support ✤ Custom design and development (in moderation) ✤ Functional Delineation: ✤ Build a commercial offering using your Open Source product as a base or framework Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 23.
    Support ✤ Paradox: ✤ Corporate users want a butt to kick ✤ Open Source is typically not supported ✤ The most popular commercialization method (for now) is to provide support to customers or provide a supported version for a fee. Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 24.
  • 25.
    Functional Delineation: How? User  requested  features  /   Community  contributions Functionality Internal Development Commercial Framework Open Source New   High  Value  Add Commercial   High  Value  Add Capabilities   Low  Value  Add New  OSS   Low  Value  Add Capabilities   Open  Source Open  Source Capabilities    Capabilities   Version n Version n + 1 Graph Courtesy Gartner Research Group 2009 Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 26.
    Marketing. (Or, thank goodness for social media!) ✤ Open Source marketing budgets are usually pretty small ✤ So, spend where it counts: ✤ Google Ad Words ✤ Social Media ✤ Trade show (sometimes) ✤ Speaking engagements at RefreshSD ✤ Word of mouth Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 27.
    Word of Mouth/ Community ✤ Love your community, they are your most valuable resource!! ✤ In our recent survey, 75% of commercial Open Source firms have or plan to hire a community manager. ✤ Spend time in the community: ✤ Online ✤ Real life ✤ Spend time with the users Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 28.
    Love your data ✤ Gather data like it is your job - even if you do nothing with it! ✤ CRM ✤ Lead tracking / lead scoring ✤ Know your people: ✤ What are they doing? ✤ Where can you help? ✤ Do you <3 statistics? learn. ✤ Every commercial Open Source firm that we surveyed is doing this Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 29.
    You can dothat with our software? Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 30.
    How do Iget involved? Tuesday, January 26, 2010
  • 31.
    Image provided byafsilva via Flickr Thank You! Mike Diliberto Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Editor's Notes

  • #6 Hint: If you have passion for solving problems, start or join a startup, where you have the greatest chance to make an impact.
  • #11 The point here is to lead into a conversation about resource constraints. In closed source, you can only plan, develop, and test as much as your least available resource. In Open Source, by comparison, everyone can take on the tasks of planning, designing, coding and testing. (although testing the final product is usually done internally, for safety)
  • #12 First, lets talk a little about what is open source
  • #15 Closed source makes that case that in order to be successful, you need to make it all yourself, that in fact, source code is the most valuable resource. Not so. People and the company are your most valuable resource.
  • #17 And one last point on Open Source, I want to address the “freemium” model and how Open Source is not freemium.
  • #18 The difference between “freemium” and “Open Source” is the power of the users. Whereas free beer means that you are being given something commercial (of value) for free, free as in speech means that everyone has a voice.
  • #26 Two types of community members: Developers Vs. Users Users become customers!