Costa Rica walks slowly hand software Leisure (SL): a handful of engineers have found a niche business to modify and customize the Open to suit the needs of their customers, and by providing support for those solutions code.
Gridshield, GreenCore and Alkaid are three of the at least 30 Costa Rican companies to tap into the global trend of implementing the software free as service, according to the Chamber of Information Technology (Camtic).
Security, social networks, cloud, mobile and content management are several large niches in which inroads SL providers in the world.
Some of these niches are repeated in Costa Rica. Market intelligence, network monitoring and voice over IP completed the list, according to respondents suppliers.
Contrary to popular belief, for these companies free licensing is not free or kills the business of software free but everything contrary is a new opportunity to monetize their knowledge.
“In Costa Rica there are plenty of companies that are billed hundreds or thousands of dollars to provide support,” confirmed Óscar Retana, Director of Operations Gridshield.
It is not the lone voice. Jonathan Vargas, founder of Alkaid said that that was precisely one of the reasons why his company began selling services such programs, eight years ago.
“Few companies at that time were delivering software under this model and there was a trend and interest in its application,” said Vargas.
usually do not develop it from scratch because the maturity of a free program is your letter, but is dedicated to modify, customize and provide support.
What is free software?
Take a moment to understand this phenomenon, which has its complications.
There are two trends developing in parallel, but should not be confused: the software Leisure and open source.
A source or source is a series of lines of instruction for the computer "knows" how to run it.
Private programs have a code that can not be accessed publicly, as the free software and open source do allow such access. Whoever can use, modify and create new products from that base.
That are similar. However, they differ in philosophy that occupies; while the free software is based on ideological principles that seek to share for free any modification to the code with the community, with open source an individual can make changes, close the source without permission and charge for it.
Both systems require a license to cede their copyright to others. "It's great text that comes in the conditions of use and almost everyone jumps" says Christian Martinez, director GreenCore projects in the country.
There are some other legal definitions, indicates Retana, but these are the two best known. "Therefore it is very important to read the contract," he adds.
Myths and Realities
Many of the wonders and dangers dark attributed to free licensing are relative.
Saving, quality, safety and support are some of the ghosts that haunt the house of software Leisure, contrary and for him.
"These aspects are the responsibility itself of software itself and its developers, not the licensing model" Christian Martinez indicated.
The latest study by international consultancy in Black Duck Software open source indicates that 61% of the surveyed corporations adopt this method because it considers cheaper.
One of the most popular benefits is the insured for companies that use savings, but it can also be a myth.
Although the code is usually free, as it is already open and the whole community can access it, implementation and customization of the product itself has a price can be as expensive as a private and traditional license (from Microsoft or Oracle, for example, although the latter has also ventured into the trend).
If the firm or institution is very large (as a university) requires trained to care for errors arising staff, and it can also be expensive.
Therefore, engineers engaged in implementing it are careful to mention the potential savings.
"For most wonderful thing is, we can not just focus on if you have or lower cost, "says Martinez, Greencore.
The Cafsa Financial Group is one of the firms that has been drawn into the trend, confirmed Luis Aguilar, chief technology Information of the entity.
"Instead of investing thousands of dollars in licensing, can invest only in high quality implementations," said Aguilar.
The lack or abundance of safety and quality in the software free license could also be a myth.
It is likely that on a free browser such as Mozilla Firefox liciencia swim thousands of eyes that control their faults and correct their mistakes almost as soon as they occur.
is also clear that other earlier age may contain structural errors that become vulnerable to attacks.
The truth is that this vulnerability depend on the maturity of program development, as in any other case, and the support he counted.
"Open source has proven its quality and safety," said Lou Shipley, President of Black Duck Software, after presenting the results of the survey this year.
This support can come from various sources. One is Internet and forums that are generated around hundreds of topics that deal with the development and implementation of SL, it is a collaborative model.
How to implement it?
The licensing model (free or proprietary) should not be the only reason to choose one program over another.
Detect the needs of your business is the first step to making a decision. The suggestion of specialists is to take into account all possibilities to find solutions. Among them, the software free.
If you find a solution in this model, look for good back support: a firm or a group of engineers know and implement it is a good indicator, as maturity program.
If the product is aimed at end users, such as office tools, verify that the learning curve is short and shallow.
" If you come to take away his control tool it may be a failed case, "says Christian Martinez of Greencore. The transition phase is important for end users.
Providers
At least 30 related companies provide free software or open services source in Costa Rica.
Gridshield is one of these firms. It has 23 engineers implementing monitoring systems. For example, detect whether electronic bank branches fall and give notice to the entity.
GreenCore, for its part, has about 15 employees working in a wide range of services from email to suits the As for call center with voice over IP.
Alkaid is selling software as a service for companies with projects such as digital signature and document management.
Source Employers.
The salaries for software professionals in Mexico increased by about 15 percent in 2014, where the professionals of the Federal District and Nuevo León topped the list of the highest paid. 