A bug is a bug (unless it's open-source)
I try to recommend open-source solutions to my clients when I can. There are many advantages to this, I’ll probably get in to them in some future emails.
But I wanted to point out something I’ve seen in many places when it comes to open-source being brought in to replace a big tech solution.
If, say, Google Drive goes down, everyone gets annoyed but no-one really questions the tool. They just wait it out.
However, if a small issue takes an open-source alternative like NextCloud down, the complaints start immediately: “we should have stuck with Google”.
Similar problem – not-so-similar reaction.
Recommending defaults is always the safe path (which is why they’re defaults). Recommending alternatives brings risks along for the ride:
- There’s familiarity: people spend years learning the quirks of their tools, often without even noticing. When a new tool shows up, they get impatient with every little crack that appears.
- If Google breaks, it’s Google’s problem. When the alternative breaks, everyone knows who decided to install it.
- Free is still associated with rough edges and incomplete features. When things go wrong, it’s proof. When the same thing happens to a large vendor, it’s just a bad day.
This encourages decisions based on comfort rather than utility or quality. Understandably so, the old saying “nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM” still applies, just with new logos.
But a bug is a bug, whatever logo is at the top of the screen.
Next time you're evaluating a tool, ask yourself: would I hold the one we’re already using to the same standard?
Colin