Ag cheese! You either hate it or you love it. It’s like open source software versus proprietary software. As a veteran of #OpenSource in South Africa, one of our values is about being ‘Open’ as the world has proven the benefits of the principles of Open Source.
Yes, the most ubiquitous example of open source software is Linux. It is where it all began for Obsidian Systems. Like cheeses around the world, there are varieties for every palate. And like every delicious cheese platter – it’s better shared. We grow when we share, perhaps not in the sense of eating more during #lockdown, but building on ideas on past knowledge, community needs and challenges. We continue to support these communities and technologies and celebrate the many flavours of Linux.
Obsidian Systems started its Open Source journey in South Africa in 1995 and we are commemorating our 21-year partnership with Red Hat. The slogan of “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” – Mahatma Gandhi’s statement is true for Open Source around the world.
The difference between soft and hard cheese
Today, there is a plethora of open source software products available for every conceivable purpose. For those who enjoy being on the bleeding edge and are adventurous enough to reach for the more pungent a ripe camembert or blue cheese, we salute you. The #Fedora project continues to fight for open standards, alongside many new communities within the stack.
There is an explosion in every conceivable way of accessing great tools and technology that is open and free. Is the question of whether you choose hard cheese and soft cheese matter? Yes, hard cheese is harder and drier, more matured than soft cheese. They also last longer than its softer cousins.
Why Enterprise Open Source is freedom of choice.
For software the ageing process is similar. Hardened and enterprise-ready solutions for business there is more than meets the eye of subscription fees. The Open Source revolution continues to spur on the licensed software model that includes the delivery of tested, updated, certified and technical support.
With your subscriptions, our partners come the promise of the open way. A prime example of this is utilising the open source partner RedisLabs latest release 6.0 a previous benchmark for the open source is also a prime example of transparency.
Likewise, another partner HashiCorp has a suite of open-source tools intended to support the development and deployment of large-scale software installations. Each tool is aimed at specific stages in the life cycle of a software application, with a focus on automation.
The value-added features for some of these tools include commercially and are aimed at enterprise customers within that suite is Terraform, Vault, Consul and Nomad.
Cloudera also boasts enterprise-class security and governance. Multi-function data analytics. An elastic cloud experience. No silos. No lock-in. Ever.
Obsidian Systems is an early adopter with a pulse on innovators and yet we would make the wiser decision of supporting a model that would be the best for our clients and users to ensure that our value chain has peace of mind, and the businesses we support have a stable and secure software solution without vendor lock-in.
It is cheesy. The point is when you are presented with the cheese platter, your decision is based on how you will enjoy your selection and how you put it to use. While you contemplate all the options of one of mankind’s favourite foods enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich or an extra sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano with your pasta or if it’s a special occasion try a fondue or something you’ve never had before! Happy #NationalCheeseDay
by Angela Ho