Open source software refers to programs for which licensing allow users to:
- 1. access, install, and run the software without cost or license
- 2. modify the original code
- 3. redistribute copies of the original or modified programs
- 4. share modifications and collaborate on upgrades with the user community
This is in sharp contrast to use of commercially developed software (also referred to as closed source or proprietary software) for which a licensing fee is required and user modifications are either not permitted or when changes are made they are not supported. When open source development is discussed, a common concern is that development is sporadic and deliverables are not properly tested in production environments. With Kuali, nothing could be farther from the truth. Kuali is different from other software development projects precisely because it is not built from scratch. It is, in essence, a recompilation of an existing financial system developed at Indiana University. IUs system has been in production and undergoing improvements and enhancements for more than 10 years. Kuali is IUs system, enhanced and recompiled for the web.
The Kuali Foundation is a non-profit organization responsible for sustaining and evolving administrative software that meets the needs of all Carnegie Class institutions. Its members are colleges, universities, commercial firms, and interested organizations that share a common vision of open, modular, and distributed systems for their software requirements. The goal of Kuali is to bring the proven functionality of legacy applications to the ease and universality of online services.
The foundation offers a growing portfolio of enterprise software applications for colleges and universities, such as Kuali Financial System (KFS), Kuali Coeus Research Administration (KCRA), and Kuali Student (KS).
With PHP 5 having been available for about 3 years now and PHP 6 looming on the horizon, the PHP development team recently announced that the next will bring the end of life for PHP 4 (http://gophp5.org/). This means that any organization that depends on timely security patches will have to migrate their installation and code base to PHP 5. With the added functionality provided by PHP 5 and the years of security patches it has already received, I consider this a good thing.
As far as existing applications and web sites are concerned, there are two possible actions you can take. The first option is to ensure that your PHP 4 code runs on PHP 5. This would typically include a review of the code itself; as well as, the configuration of PHP 5 on the server. For most situations, this option is the quickest and most cost effective option. The second option would be rewrite parts or all of you code base in PHP 5. This would only be necessary in cases of extreme incompatibility or where the newer features offered by PHP 5 would significantly enhance the product.
Whichever path you choose, VivanTech has tremendous experience in assisting our partners during this transition period. We can assist you with advice and experience or manage the whole process for you.
If you ask people why they don’t try something new and take some risk to improve their chances of success, many times the answer boils down to fear of rejection.
To make a bold move in your career or to close a sale for example, you have to embrace rejection. Rejection is reality and happens every day. You have to learn from each experience and make adjustments for the next try. It is helpful to talk to highly successful people and learn from them regardless of their field. Chances are, they failed many times before they had their break.
Figure out what your proposition is and run with it. Avoid typical approaches and be remarkable. If you are looking for a better job for example, instead of sending your resume, hand-write a letter to the decision maker and introduce yourself. Include some references in your letter. If you are selling, articulate verbally or in writing how you can reduce cost or increase revenue for your prospect but do it in a credible way. In this age of copy-cats, misleading approaches and commoditization, emphasize honesty integrity and hard work in your approach. I think most of us have heard the stories about Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s or Walt Disney and how they kept trying at the beginning, despite many challenges and rejections.
Embrace rejection and you will be rewarded.
Roughly 52% of the US companies outsource nowadays. Although the benefits of outsourcing have been proven, the way companies manage their outsourcing partners is not always efficient.
Successful companies rethink their IT processes while they work with outsourcing firms. If a process is not efficient at the client company, it will extend into the outsourcing partner’s organization as well which may result in delays and communication issues. Many companies assume that the outsourcing partner knows their business and do not spend enough time discussing their business needs, plans and expectations.
Effective outsourcing relationships require investment of time on the part of the buyer. The client and the outsourcing partner must work together to address problems and plan ahead. At VivanTech , we tell our customers and prospects that offshore outsourcing is not just for saving costs. It can also result in bringing fresh perspectives and expertise if properly managed.
Rewards
There are unexpected benefits of establishing a relationship with an offshore services provider. Many of our clients report that by leveraging our relationship, they have been able improve the performance of their own IT organization. There are many reasons behind this benefit such as having to define requirements in a more formal way or developing more thorough specifications and documentation.
While building high performance IT organizations within the constraints of economic realities, today’s corporations must consider offshore IT outsourcing in their mix of services. The relationship with an outsourcing provider is key, and as a result, the corporations of all sizes should give serious consideration to establishing and maintaining a relationship with a vendor with a strong track record in both U.S. based and offshore operations. In the final analysis, the hiring firm should have maximum flexibility in terms of on-site, off-site and offshore, and any combination of these services.
Cultural Issues
There have been a great deal of publicity on the cultural differences that exist when dealing with an offshore provider which has an Offshore Development Center in India. These differences are reflected in communications, work habits, as well as work ethics, approaches to problem solving, bringing up ideas and even challenging ideas.
Since many hiring firms do not have significant experience in managing diverse teams from India, it is crucial that the outsourcing firm provides experienced people to bridge the gap. At VivanTech, we believe that the most important person out of the “bridgers” is the local, US-based, and at times non-Indian, project manager or the liaison.
During team interactions, the successful outsourcing firms leverage their strong project management presence that exist locally. Those “connectors” at VivanTech are usually onsite at the client location. In some cases, they may be part time but nevertheless, they are very sensitive to a client’s culture and business requirements. Walking this fine line, the local rep must enable knowledge transfer and efficient team interaction which are necessary components of intelligent offshoring.
The Focus Factor
There has been hundreds of articles written on taking advantage of offshore IT outsourcing. In general, they focus on the selection of projects and/or services to send offshore, the contractual issues, cost control, risk factors, IP protection, security, and scope management. While these are certainly items for careful consideration, it makes sense to first focus on the primary critical element that will have the most impact on the success of any offshore outsourcing charter – the selection of an offshore outsourcing partner. At VivanTech, we routinely turn down business where the prospect is interested in the lowest price or does not want a local liaison/P.M. from VivanTech. Having a local VivanTech representative, even at part-time capacity, has been the winning formula for us. Our clients talk about how we are very unique when it comes to this approach and how customer-intimate VivanTech is as a result.
The potential offshore outsourcing vendor should be viewed as a high-impact partner, a critical extension of the IT or software development organization’s high performance team. In the early days, there was a tendency to isolate a particular project or projects for Offshoring. The idea was to send a project offshore for the lowest price possible, and then correct any problems. While this may solve a company’s short-term issues with cost savings and speed-to-market, it does not position that company to fully leverage a strong relationship with a high-caliber outsourcing firm. VivanTech’s “strong relationship” approach has made a world of difference for our clients and we are truly viewed as an extension of their internal teams.
In the next article, we will touch on cultural issues.
