Open Source Misconceptions Fading in South Africa

Tracy Burrows | ITWeb | November 1, 2012

South Africa may be up to five years behind the rest of the world in terms of vendor-supported open source software adoption, but the old misconceptions are falling away and adoption is picking up.

This is according to Jan-Jan van der Vyver, MD of Linux Warehouse, who says certain sectors are leading the way in terms of increasing adoption, such as telecommunications and certain technologically advanced banks, such as FNB. The public sector, which has long had an open source policy, has been slow in meeting its own adoption targets, but is now taking steps to remedy this.

Van der Vyver says more education is needed in SA to enhance understanding of the benefits of vendor-supported open source software. “If South African business is to be competitive in the global market, it needs to compete on price point, functionality and flexibility,” he points out. “The use of vendor-supported open source software enables this.”...