This document discusses the strategic benefits of implementing free software in business. It argues that free software allows businesses to do more and keep doing it, delivering more value to investors over time. Some key benefits mentioned are flexibility, interoperability, and sustainability. While legal considerations are important, following popular free software licenses and ensuring compatibility can help businesses reap the rewards of free software.

1. Strategic Implementation Of Free
Software In Business

2. Ask The Right Questions
What we want to do?
Where we want to go?

3. The Goal
Deliver value to investors

4. The Approach
Do more and keep doing it

5. Choose A Paradigm
Proprietary software – do some stuff
Free Software – do more stuff

6. Recap: The Approach
Do more and keep doing it

7. Provisional Conclusion
Free Software rocks

8. Who Benefits?
Individuals
Businesses
Governments

9. The Numbers
32% of European ICT by 2010 (UNU Merit)
4% of European GDP by 2010 (UNU Merit)
80% of commercial software will contain
Free Software by 2011 (Gartner)

10. What's The Catch?
You need to understand the base principles

11. No Licence Fees != Freedom
This is not about licence fees

12. Source Code != Freedom
This is not about seeing source code

13. See The Forest
Understand your market
Understand your technology

14. What is Free Software?
The 'Free' refers to freedom, not price

15. Four Freedoms
Use
Study
Share
Improve

16. Powered by Licences
Licences grant the freedoms

17. Legal Stuff Is Important
Understand the licences
Understand the reasoning
behind the licences

18. Common Issues
People don't read the licences
People don't follow the licence terms

19. Avoiding Issues
Read the licences
Follow the terms

20. The Overview
Create processes for supply, development,
deployment and reported issues

21. The Details
List approved Free Software licences
Refer all other licences to legal
Have distribution check-lists

22. Be Sensible
Use popular licences
Use compatible licences
Talk to people

23. Result: Good Things
Flexibility
Interoperability
Sustainability

24. Recap: The Approach
Do more and keep doing it

25. Recap: Free Software
It does more things for more people

26. Conclusion
There are two options

27. Option # 1
Limit your potential

28. Option # 2
Get smart

29. Contact details
coughlan@fsfeurope.org
www.fsfeurope.org/ftf