[Web4lib] RE: vendors and usability

[Joshua Ferraro]

On Mon, Jul 18, 2005 at 12:39:24PM -0700, Karen Coyle wrote:
> Uh, something about not having a UNIX sysadmin on staff, nor any 
> programmers? OK, so maybe a group libraries could pool the money they 
> would have spent on a library system and get the resources they need, 
> but first someone would have to present some reliable numbers on total 
> costs for open source systems so that the libraries could convince their 
> boards that it wouldn't end up being more expensive. I'm hoping that one 
> or more of the libraries installing Koha can make that case.
Lack of in-house support has consistantly been the biggest response I've
gotten when I ask that question ... and it's the reason my business 
partners and I started LibLime. By the way, we don't just offer 
installation and software development ... we also offer data migration
assistance, staff training, consulting, maintenance, ASP solutions, 
software integration solutions (like getting your filter to use the 
same authentication database as the OPAC), and anything other services 
a library needs to make open source use possible.

>From my personal involvement as the systems administrator of Nelsonville
Library, I think it's unlikely that many libraries will 'pool money' 
to get the resources they need (though the Georgia PINES project has 
done just this). My challange over the past four months (since LibLime
launched) has been getting libraries to understand that LibLime can
offer everything a traditional proprietary vendor offers except that
we give our software away at the end of the day.

What you're suggesting is that we need to put together a 'total cost of
ownership' document outlining the costs and time involved in running
the ILS (with or without vendor support) so that libraries don't just
have a theoretical basis for making their decisions. It's a good idea
and I'm going to get working on it based on the data I have available 
from the 60 or so libraries currently using Koha. Thanks!

PS: I do always wonder why an open-source vendor is required to jump 
through even more loops than a proprietary vendor ;-)

Cheers,
-- 
Joshua Ferraro               VENDOR SERVICES FOR OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE
President, Technology       migration, training, maintenance, support
LibLime                                Featuring Koha Open-Source ILS
jmf at liblime.com |Full Demos at http://liblime.com/koha |1(888)KohaILS