Werner Knoblich discusses open source software trends and the impact of the current economic environment. The economic downturn has led to budget cuts, staff cuts, and increased demand for IT services. However, the crisis also enables opportunities for open source adoption to help organizations preserve initiatives, protect existing revenue, and capture new revenue. Surveys show open source adoption continuing to grow, with over half of respondents planning to increase Linux usage. The evidence suggests open source offers flexibility and avoidance of vendor lock-in that are appealing in the current climate.