Open Source:It's about the customer

John Mark WalkerJohn Mark WalkerOpen Source Ecosystems Manager, Red HatOpen Source Ecosystems Manager, Red HatNovember 11, 2014November 11, 2014

InnovationInnovation

How to fly “There is an art, ...or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”– Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Open Source == InnovationOpen Source == Innovation

Big Data Operating Systems

Virtualization

Cloud Computing Storage

Containers Mobile Compute

Developer Tools

Big Data Operating Systems

Virtualization

Cloud Computing Storage

Containers Mobile Compute

Developer Tools

Total Open Source Ecosystem

==Trillions of $$$

Millions of people

Total Open Source Ecosystem

==Trillions of $$$

Millions of people

Why Open Source?

● It's all about the Customer

ProprietaryVendor

ProprietaryVendor

CustomerCustomer

Open Source Vendor

Open Source Vendor

CustomerCustomer

Open Source Innovation

● A managed ecosystem● Guided by rapid, iterative customer

feedback● May not actually be the fastest way to

develop● But it is the most responsive to customers'

needs

Let's review:● Open Source's huge success● Not based on price● Center of innovation

Open Source:

It's about the customer, not (necessarily) the developer

The 4 Freedoms

● The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).

● The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1).

● The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).

● The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3).

A Tale of 2 Projects●One takes the closed route

●The other takes the open route

A Tale of 2 Projects●One takes the closed route

●The other takes the open route

Agility wins

Innovation was not the goal, just an interesting by-product

Agility wins

Innovation was not the goal, just an interesting by-product

UsersUsers

Freeloaders vs. Customers 99% freeloaders99% freeloaders

Repeatable use cases

Repeatable use cases

Market Credibility

Market Credibility

AdvocacyAdvocacy

Ecosystem DevelopmentEcosystem

Development

New Feature Ideation

New Feature Ideation

Bug reports, patches

Bug reports, patches

1% subscription customers1% subscription customers

Want product that works

Want product that works

Proven use cases

Proven use cases

Attracted to market leaderAttracted to

market leader

Colleague-recommended

Colleague-recommended

Need appsNeed apps

Requirements list

Requirements list

Large user base is an advantage

UsersUsers

Hypothesis:

When participants on a level playing field collaborate, agility and innovation

ensue

Hypothesis:

When participants on a level playing field collaborate, agility and innovation

ensue

Example #1: Science

- Age of enlightenment led to scientific boom

Example #1: Science

- Age of enlightenment led to scientific boom

Example #2: Beer

- Brewing renaissance began when “anyone could

do it”

Example #2: Beer

- Brewing renaissance began when “anyone could

do it”

Counter-example: Networking

- Dominated by proprietary systems, platforms

- Customer “pull” spurring SDN, NFV growth

Counter-example: Networking

- Dominated by proprietary systems, platforms

- Customer “pull” spurring SDN, NFV growth

Commonalities

●Not a “free-for-all”

●Managed ecosystem

●Rules

●Not a “free-for-all”

●Managed ecosystem

●Rules

Managed OSS Ecosystem

●4 Freedoms

●Copyright

●Trademarks

●Standards

●4 Freedoms

●Copyright

●Trademarks

●Standards

Customers Deliver Product

Think of open source as a supply chain

Customers Deliver Product

Think of open source as a supply chain

Open Source Supply Chain

●Sourcing is important

●Glue is important

●Process and governance

●Sourcing is important

●Glue is important

●Process and governance

Open Source Supply Chain

Productization: ----->Productization: ----->

Goal: Solutions that work

Goal: Solutions that work

Open Source Supply Chain

Productization: ----->Productization: ----->

Innovative“stuff”

●Research●Design●Architecture●Development●Ideation●Freedom to fail

Innovative“stuff”

●Research●Design●Architecture●Development●Ideation●Freedom to fail

Governance

●Contributions●Ownership●Dev process●Transparency●Control

Governance

●Contributions●Ownership●Dev process●Transparency●Control

Process

●QE, QA●Rapid Iteration

Process

●QE, QA●Rapid Iteration

Product

●Marketing, branding

Product

●Marketing, branding

Putting the hypothesis to the test:

- What does it say about cloud computing?

Putting the hypothesis to the test:

- What does it say about cloud computing?

Cloud Supply Chain

●Starts with Open Source product

●Glue is important

●Process?

●Starts with Open Source product

●Glue is important

●Process?

Cloud Supply Chain

Proprietary serviceProprietary service

FirewallFirewall

Open Source Solutions

Open Source Solutions

Lots of innovationover here!Lots of innovationover here!

Eh... not so muchEh... not so much

Freedom in the Cloud?

● Cloud services dominated by vendor lock-in

● No open source processes● Not yet enough customer “pull”● Enterprise adoption the key

● Agility wins

● Customers win

● Everyone wins

It's Up to You, the Customer

● Agility wins

● Customers win

● Everyone wins

It's Up to You, the Customer

Why is This Important?

Thank you!

johnmark@redhat.com

@johnmark – Twitter

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