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The Buzz Word Today Is Change

More than a month ago, I wrote an article entitled, "The Buzz Word Today Is Green." Well, with the political climate the way it is in the United States, I think it's more accurate that today's buzz word is "change." People are looking for change, looking for anything they can do to change the world, to make it a better place. Maybe that's one of the reasons Linux has taken off in the last year; maybe it's the people's hunger for change that's driving companies like Dell and Sears to package Linux integrated computers. It might be that people are growing tired of expensive proprietary software that never works, provides poor support, is devoid of expansive, contributing communities, forces them to purchase new hardware sooner than they would like, and forces them to wait years between releases.

Maybe the biggest change is that people are waking up to the realization that choice still exists in this world. Even if you don't make the choice to switch, just having the choice there makes a difference. Choice inspires competition; choice brings out the best in an industry. There's a reason monopolies are frowned upon. When a company monopolizes a market, what does that mean for the end user of that company's products? What reason is there for the company to continue developing its product? Why should the company bother with innovation if being innovative is costly? It's far cheaper for a company to just repackage its existing product year after year with a different version number; they can sell the same product over and over again to the same people for the same profits. Proprietary companies fear change for this reason; with change, they have to actually develop their products; with change, they might have to invest money and time to make a better product than the competition; with change, they might not be able to rely on clever marketing and ad campaigns forever.

Linux is all about change. Many of the major distributions release a new version of their operating system every six months. Not years. Many distributions are constantly remolding themselves to better fit the rapidly evolving technologies. No one using Linux would be satisfied to use an operating system for a decade, to use aging, expensive software. If the world is really hungry for change, then they need to look no further than to Linux and Open Source. Linux opens up many possibilities. With Linux, you can cut the costs of IT budgets, buy better hardware with the extra money, or invest the money elsewhere into your company. Public schools and other public institutions can take advantage of Linux; their tight budgets need a break, and by cutting back on unnecessary software costs, it can happen; every classroom could be guaranteed enough computers for its students; governments wouldn't needlessly waste tax dollars on purchasing proprietary software. It doesn't help the economy to dump more money into already bloated companies; it helps people when you give them what they need, when you remove burdens from their shoulders in any way you can.

Linux won't save the world, but it can help put some money back into people's pockets. How many companies in the United States, with the threat of recession, are looking at any means with which to cut costs? Maybe laying off employees, cutting back on people's hours or salaries, removing needed supplies, etc. How many should be looking at the costs of their IT budgets? How many should be considering alternatives to proprietary software licenses that they pay annually? How many should consider that maybe it's not necessary to buy a new line of PCs every couple years, that maybe if they used better software they might get more than just a year or two out of expensive hardware?

Change is the buzz word, but it might not be getting through to everyone. In the United States, there's a plan to send families, making less than a specified gross income, a check this Spring or Summer. This is the plan to inspire spending in the market. How are most people going to spend the money? On bills. This won't boost the economy; this won't stave off a recession. How many of these same people bought or are going to buy an overpriced computer? Have bought or will buy expensive proprietary software? Maybe for themselves. Maybe for their kid who needs it for school. How many of them are considering alternatives? Not enough. How many will walk into a computer store and purchase whatever they can afford, rather than look around, look online, find some sort of alternative that could save them hundreds or even thousands of dollars. In a country where a great deal of people are looking for a few hundred dollars from the government in order to help pay bills this year, how many of these people are considering a change in software?

With some hope, people are realizing how much choice is out there. These choices help to force the big software vendors to reduce their prices, help to bring about change and innovation, help to put money back into the pockets of computer users every where.

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