[oclug] How open nature of Linux can work against it.

[Robert Brockway]

On Sat, 12 Aug 2006, Rod Giffin wrote:

> Continual change also isn't the problem either.  Windows goes through 
> continual change also.  The thing is, with Windows the cost of validation is 
> born by everyone involved with Windows.  Once it has been established that 
> the change is valid, everyone relies on that validation.  The same thing

I think this is the crux of the problem right here.  For MS-Windows the 
cost of validation is shared out among all users even though almost none 
of them care.

As you note Linux distributions have been validated but the user base is 
smaller so the proportionate cost to each end user (directly or 
indirectly) is greater.  This is a classic economies of scale problem.

One promosing development is that a lot of work is being done on software 
validation techniques.  Validation may well be cheaper/easier in the 
future.

Having said all this, I've had exposure to non-Pharma bioinformatics and 
the systems they use not generally validated so the problem may only exist 
in certain niche (albeit high powered) industries.

Cheers,

Rob

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