[Opencd-devel] SUBMISSION: Sample Corporate Letter

[Andrew J B. <an...@bo...>]

Thought I would offer up this very draft Sample Corporate Letter.  I tried
to formulate some items that a typical IT manager at a corporation would
be concerned about or a CIO in general.  Comments appreciated.

-Andy

DRAFT

Sample Corporate Letter to Corporations about OpenCD
(Draft by: an...@bo...)

Executive Overview

Many corporations around the globe are realizing the power of open
source software and are merging free software applications into their
proprietary IT networks.  Additionally, open source operating systems,
including Linux, OpenBSD, and FreeBSD, are being used in a number of
corporate information systems for web services, information security, and
a variety of other server tasks.  While open source operating systems are
quickly being adopted in the server market, the penetration of open source
operating systems and software is minimal at the user’s desktop.  OpenCD
brings the power and advantages of zero fee licenses and professional
quality, secure software to the typical corporate user.  The general
absence of such an effort has somewhat slowed the widespread adoption of
free software in the enterprise and has additionally made such wide scale
adoption difficult to manage. OpenCD will provide an avenue for
corporations to deploy software usable on current existing proprietary
operating systems.

Brief Overview of the OpenCD Project

The OpenCD Project is a single distribution of selected open source
software that is proven to work on proprietary operating systems.  The
potential savings for IT departments can be staggering and can
significantly reduce the outlays for recurrent licensing structures and
support needs.  As IT departments are learning from current proprietary
software support structures, the additional fees to add additional users,
keep support for patches current, and other long term financial outlays
can reduce the overall potential to upgrade to the latest software.
OpenCD can be a professional quality installation with support built-in
through the open source software community support structure with no
additional costs.
As stated from the Project’s description, OpenCD uses the following
criteria for the distribution:

1.	A selection of high-quality open source software for proprietary
operating systems.
2.	No licensing fees.  The project is composed entirely of open
source free software.
3.	OpenCD contains many useful mainstream applications such as office
productivity applications and other workflow software that extends the
enterprise.
4.	The project uses professional quality installation methods.  In
addition, the project provides the potential for easy, centrally managed
software distribution and revocation.
5.	A professional quality uninstall: The software can be safely
removed or upgraded from corporate computing systems.

The above criteria allows for a high degree of quality control for the
distribution.  The CD uses entirely open source standards for software
development of the interfaces and installations and keeps the exists free
licensing structure intact.  In addition, the OpenCD criteria is openly
published and can empower the IT department with the ability to present
the distribution to management with professional quality standards. OpenCD
can ensure the proper and central adoption of high-quality open source
software.

Advantages of the OpenCD Distribution

OpenCD presents the corporate enterprise with a central adoption strategy
for integrating free software into existing operating systems.  For IT
departments, the challenge to present open source operating systems on the
desktop has been difficult.  Corporations have driven the proprietary
operating system application development due to a centrally dominated
market.  With the rising availability of global software development
collaboration through the Internet, better quality open source office
applications, multimedia, and Internet programs on proprietary operating
systems are on the rise and are currently being deployed in small scale IT
efforts.  OpenCD brings these applications to the enterprise with little
cost to the corporation.
The strength of the open source community in providing exceptional
security is widely recognized.  OpenCD takes advantage of open source
projects that for example utilize code review practices, adopt
international security guidelines, By its very nature, the open
availability of the application code has greatly enhanced the security of
these applications….
Additionally, OpenCD provides IT managers with an easy system for
inventory tracking of open software in use.  In addition, it allows for
the potential to track the use and impact of open source software in the
corporation, thereby enabling the …
The OpenCD project uses a regular release schedule that allows IT
departments a predictable timeframe to deploy open source software.  With
one CD distribution in use, the IT departments can do central integration
testing, manage updates to the system, and prepare new systems for the
next release.  In the current open source environment, it is difficult for
an IT department to properly manage and track updates of open source
software.  OpenCD provides this in the predictability and stability of a
release schedule.

Possible Concerns for the Corporate Network

As many IT managers have come to realize in the past few years,
most current open source software in the IT infrastructure is “making it
in through the back door” (similar to the appearance of PDAs).  OpenCD
allows for IT departments to “control” the propagation of the software
throughout the enterprise by distributing the software from the
department. The distribution can be safely and statically distributed to
user support groups for training and technical support activities.
(Additions…)

Conclusion

The OpenCD Project provides the corporate infrastructure with a
wide array of central distribution advantages and extends the capabilities
current and future IT systems.  The clear advantages of no-cost, high-
quality software is being realized by corporations globally, and OpenCD
continues these advantages through centrally evaluated software for use on
existing corporate operating systems.  In addition, the project
specifically enables the general corporate user but still allows the
software distribution process to be managed by the resident IT
departments.