Open Source: Oratopigiphobia: Fear of Visible Source

By Kenneth Hess

May 16, 2008 —  (Page 1 of 3)

I’ve heard all kinds of excuses for not using open-source operating systems and software, but I believe that none are more powerful than those that are fear-based. Fear is often a great motivator and a great obstacle. For those in the corporate world, fear and risk are motivational tools often responsible for great accomplishments, huge windfalls and overnight successes. And, of course, they are behind a considerable amount of failure as well. So why do I repeatedly hear, “It’s just too big a risk to use open source.”?

My gut feeling is that there is an innate fear of something free. Or, perhaps, our upbringing programmed us into thinking that free never really means free—that there are strings attached or something more to buy before it works. Don’t let me lead you astray here. Not all open-source software is free and some of it isn’t even cheap. Open source has the implication of free because you get the source code that created the program as well as the working software.

When asked to produce a cheap solution for a company, I offer two or three equivalent alternatives and let them choose the one that best fits their budget for the project. I’ve never had anyone choose the one that used all free and open-source software and operating systems. It’s as if they don’t believe that anything good can also be free. No one wants to pay top dollar, everyone wants a discount, and no one wants it free either.

I call this fear of open source, Oratopigiphobia. No, you won’t find that in the list of official phobias but I can assure you it exists. It literally means visible source fear and I made it up myself to describe those who, for one reason or another, fear the use of open-source software.

There are things that you should fear: bears, terrorists, global warming, oil prices—but free software? When probed about the hesitation to embrace an inexpensive solution, the answers often come in bursts and in the form of questions.

Related Search Term(s): Open source

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