Recently came across dimdim.com an OpenSource Web Conferencing product. The skeptic in me makes me question whether this really makes sense. I understand there's significant benefit around TCO for Opensource products...but I question if that really makes sense for Web conferencing.
As, an Opensource expert we met with the other day said...there are only 2 proven models with opensource:
(a) A popular commodity product (like operating system, database, app server) where the enterprises are looking to reduce TCO. Business model is based on providing high-touch support.
(b) Proliferate a billion copies and somehow hope that a % of them would want a supportable copy.
Somehow for Web conferencing the above theories do not seem to hold true:
1) The only model that has been successful with Web Conf. is an on-demand service model. So, I am skeptical how well an OpenSource product will be adopted.
2) Web conf. - even after 10 years - is a departmental solution with IT typically not getting involved in the purchase decision. Hence, I am skeptical if IT will really install and play around with an Opensource solution to see if it will work.
I guess time will tell what happens with this.
Also, wondering if there's really an opensource model for on-demand service...hmmmm.....
Sep 20, 2006
Opensource Web Conferencing...hmmmm....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
One of my close friends Gurudatt, is involved now with this product DimDim. (BTW, whazzuppp with the name DIM? that too twice? )
Haven't tried it out though.
But I agree with Bhaskar on the opensource part. IMO there is no need to opensource it just to differentiate and gain share in the market. Moreover web conf. technology is not a product or technology over which other infrastructure pieces or software components need to be developed and hence there is no necessity of a community of developers contributing to its evolution path.
But opensource is good and welcome, I guess, in the education and academic community and that is DimDim's target and focus too.
Dim Dim (CEOs surname - DD?) will succeed if the operational team plan it well. Products and Services based on open source were successful .. and we have got lot of proof in the market.
1> SAS - Software as a service model. If you see most of the hosted solutions are utilizing open source framework (Operating Systems, Databases, App Servers) to provide cost effective business solutions. They key is "Cost Savings".
2> Sell dimdim as product (with support). Products like SugarCRM has proven this market. It is a number game...you need to thousands (and millions) of downloads. From sales point of you you need to be ready to close thousands of smaller deals.
3> OEM Model. Try to attach this software with other open source/commercial packages. For example packaging with products like Alfresco/Plone/Liferay etc in Intranet solutions. The key selling point is "control" as many companies need open source (source code) to customize it as per their requirements.
But, Bhasker Roy has valid concerns on the business model. But there is definitely an open source model for on demand services. Market proved it.
Just to clarify by On-demand services I meant Software-As-A-Service (Saas). Let's look at the examples you have cited as none of them relate to opensourcing their on-demand service (Saas) service.
(1) Hosted apps using opensource infrastructure software. This is very different from providing the hosted apps itself as "opensource". For example Google, Yahoo use opensource Database...but they themselves are not opensource.
(2)Products like SugarCRM. Agreed products can be opensourced and that model has been proven. But this is different from opensourcing an on-demand service/SaaS. Example - SugarCRM has opensourced its product (Sugar Onsite) but its on-demand piece (Sugar On Demand) is not opensourced where anyone can contribute and deploy their code directly to the Sugar On-Demand's data center.
(3) Agreed this model works when the product has reached a stage where IT wants to control this. Unfortunately, I don't think Web Conferencing has not reached that stage in the market yet. Hence, I don't see this being something that can be DimDim's target - at least not at present.
I agree with Shankar that for education this has potential...but for a broader scale adoption I have my doubts.
Again no on-demand service (SaaS) provider I know of has actually opensourced their SaaS business.
Hi,
Thanks for the analysis. Please let me know if you are interested in a preview of the Jan 2007 release.
Regards,
dd AT dimdim.com
Post a Comment