Open Source Business Opportunities for Tasmania
A Collaborative Fact Finding Survey

These are the Survey results so far (88 forms) . . .

Section A: Identification and Profile Information

QUESTION 2

2   Please indicate by checking the box in the appropriate column below, your company details. (Provide Information relevant to Tasmanian Branches Only)
No. of Full Time Employees:
< 20 45%
20-99 15%
100-499 24%
> 499 15%
No. of Computers:
< 20 44%
20-99 18%
100-499 22%
> 499 11%
Annual I.T. Expenditure
<$20k 30%
$20k-$49k 16%
$50k-$99k 9%
$100k-$249k 13%
>$250k 24%

 

QUESTION 3

3   Please indicate which sector best represents your organisation.
Government
State 11%
Local 3%
GBE 3%
State School 3%
Community
Private School 3%
Community Service 11%
Sport/Social 2%
Other 3%
Business
Finance & Investment 1%
Manufacturing 7%
Food 3%
Agriculture 2%
Media 1%
Retail 1%
Other 7%
IT Industry
Development 15%
Retail 1%
Support 9%
Training 3%
Other 7%

 
Section B: Use and Support of Open Source Software

QUESTION 5

5   Please indicate your organisation's use of each of the OSS products listed:
Linux
Use 41%
Used to use 3%
Plan to replace 1%
Heard of 14%
Apache
Use 40%
Used to use 3%
Heard of 13%
Never heard of 1%
Firefox
Use 42%
Used to use 1%
Plan to replace 1%
Heard of 9%
Thunderbird
Use 16%
Heard of 23%
Never heard of 5%
MySQL
Use 35%
Used to use 5%
Plan to replace 2%
Heard of 17%
Postgres SQL
Use 15%
Used to use 1%
Plan to replace 2%
Heard of 19%
Never heard of 7%
Samba
Use 28%
Used to use 3%
Plan to replace 2%
Heard of 13%
Never heard of 1%
Squid
Use 28%
Used to use 3%
Plan to replace 2%
Heard of 14%
Never heard of 2%
OpenOffice
Use 24%
Used to use 6%
Plan to replace 2%
Heard of 19%
Eclipse
Use 6%
Used to use 1%
Heard of 17%
Never heard of 15%
Gimp
Use 18%
Used to use 2%
Heard of 24%
Never heard of 2%
Snort
Use 13%
Used to use 3%
Heard of 16%
Never heard of 9%
Other/s

 

QUESTION 7

7   Please indicate how your organisation supports/ed the OSS products that you currently use or used to use:
Linux (operating system)
In-house 25%
Purchase/d 5%
If used could support in-house 5%
If used would require external support 3%
Don't know 1%
Linux (desktop)
In-house 18%
Purchase/d 2%
If used could support in-house 8%
If used would require external support 5%
Don't know 1%
Apache web server
In-house 24%
Purchase/d 5%
If used could support in-house 7%
If used would require external support 3%
Squid
In-house 16%
Purchase/d 7%
If used could support in-house 5%
If used would require external support 5%
Don't know 1%
Snort
In-house 9%
Purchase/d 2%
If used could support in-house 7%
If used would require external support 5%
Don't know 3%
Thunderbird
In-house 13%
Purchase/d 1%
If used could support in-house 9%
If used would require external support 3%
Don't know 3%
OpenOffice
In-house 17%
Purchase/d 1%
If used could support in-house 7%
If used would require external support 2%
Don't know 3%
MySQL
In-house 23%
Purchase/d 2%
If used could support in-house 8%
If used would require external support 5%
Don't know 1%
Postgres SQL
In-house 11%
Purchase/d 2%
If used could support in-house 9%
If used would require external support 5%
Don't know 1%
Other/s

 

QUESTION 8

8a   Please indicate the specific OSS support services that your organisation currently provide, have provided or that you could provide in house if asked to do so.
Application Development
Currently support in-house 17%
If required could support in-house 5%
Don't know 14%
Application Service Provider
Currently support in-house 10%
If required could support in-house 5%
Don't know 15%
Location and Directory Services
Currently support in-house 11%
If required could support in-house 7%
Don't know 13%
Operating System Services
Currently support in-house 15%
Have supported in-house 2%
If required could support in-house 9%
Don't know 7%
System and Network Management
Currently support in-house 15%
Have supported in-house 1%
If required could support in-house 8%
Don't know 8%
Transaction Processing Services
Currently support in-house 8%
If required could support in-house 7%
Don't know 16%
Application Implementation
Currently support in-house 18%
Have supported in-house 1%
If required could support in-house 7%
Don't know 8%
Data Interchange Services
Currently support in-house 10%
If required could support in-house 3%
Don't know 16%
Desktop Services
Currently support in-house 13%
Have supported in-house 3%
If required could support in-house 9%
Don't know 8%
Network Services
Currently support in-house 17%
Have supported in-house 2%
If required could support in-house 8%
Don't know 6%
Security Services
Currently support in-house 15%
Have supported in-house 1%
If required could support in-house 6%
Don't know 9%
Training
Currently support in-house 14%
Have supported in-house 2%
If required could support in-house 7%
Don't know 10%
Other/s

 

8b   Please indicate the specific OSS support services that your organisation currently purchase, have purchased or would need to purchase externally to support OSS.
Application Development
Currently purchase 3%
Have purchased 1%
Would require external support 11%
Don't know 5%
Application Service Provider
Currently purchase 2%
Have purchased 2%
Would require external support 9%
Don't know 7%
Location and Directory Services
Have purchased 1%
Would require external support 10%
Don't know 8%
Operating System Services
Currently purchase 5%
Have purchased 5%
Would require external support 6%
Don't know 2%
System and Network Management
Currently purchase 1%
Have purchased 3%
Would require external support 7%
Don't know 6%
Transaction Processing Services
Would require external support 10%
Don't know 8%
Application Implementation
Currently purchase 2%
Have purchased 1%
Would require external support 8%
Don't know 7%
Data Interchange Services
Would require external support 9%
Don't know 9%
Desktop Services
Currently purchase 2%
Have purchased 2%
Would require external support 8%
Don't know 6%
Network Services
Currently purchase 1%
Have purchased 2%
Would require external support 8%
Don't know 7%
Security Services
Currently purchase 1%
Have purchased 2%
Would require external support 8%
Don't know 6%
Training
Currently purchase 2%
Have purchased 1%
Would require external support 7%
Don't know 6%
Other/s

 

QUESTION 9

9a   Please indicate how your organisation supports/ed the OSS products that you currently or used to use:
Linux (operating system)
We are/were a support provider for 16%
Could provide support in 10%
Don't know 3%
Linux (desktop)
We are/were a support provider for 10%
Could provide support in 13%
Don't know 6%
Apache web server
We are/were a support provider for 15%
Could provide support in 8%
Don't know 6%
MySQL
We are/were a support provider for 13%
Could provide support in 8%
Don't know 8%
Postgres SQL
We are/were a support provider for 11%
Could provide support in 3%
Don't know 7%
Squid
We are/were a support provider for 7%
Could provide support in 9%
Don't know 7%
Snort
We are/were a support provider for 7%
Could provide support in 6%
Don't know 9%
Thunderbird
We are/were a support provider for 7%
Could provide support in 7%
Don't know 7%
Open Office
We are/were a support provider for 9%
Could provide support in 10%
Don't know 6%
Other/s

 

9b   Please indicate the specific OSS support services that your organisation currently provide, have provided, or could provide if asked to do so.
Application Development
Currently support 10%
Have supported 5%
If required could support 5%
Don't know 8%
Application Service Provider
Currently support 8%
If required could support 7%
Don't know 8%
Location and Directory Services
Currently support 9%
Have supported 2%
If required could support 7%
Don't know 7%
Operating System Services
Currently support 14%
Have supported 2%
If required could support 8%
Don't know 5%
System and Network Management
Currently support 17%
Have supported 1%
If required could support 5%
Don't know 6%
Transaction Processing Services
Currently support 3%
Have supported 1%
If required could support 7%
Don't know 11%
Application Implementation
Currently support 15%
Have supported 2%
If required could support 6%
Don't know 5%
Data Interchange Services
Currently support 10%
Have supported 2%
If required could support 8%
Don't know 6%
Desktop Services
Currently support 13%
Have supported 3%
If required could support 7%
Don't know 5%
Network Services
Currently support 16%
Have supported 2%
If required could support 7%
Don't know 5%
Security Services
Currently support 11%
Have supported 3%
If required could support 7%
Don't know 6%
Training
Currently support 16%
Have supported 1%
If required could support 9%
Don't know 5%
Other/s

 
Section C: OSS Services Potentially Required or that could be Provided

QUESTION 11

11a   Please indicate OSS products that your organisation could support if required:
Linux (operating system)
Could support 13%
Don't know 7%
Linux (desktop)
Could support 13%
Don't know 7%
Apache web server
Could support 10%
Don't know 8%
MySQL
Could support 13%
Don't know 7%
Postgres SQL
Could support 10%
Don't know 8%
Squid
Could support 8%
Don't know 9%
Snort
Could support 8%
Don't know 9%
Thunderbird
Could support 11%
Don't know 7%
Open Office
Could support 14%
Don't know 6%
Other/s

 

11b   Please indicate specific OSS support services that your organisation could provide if required.
Application Development
Could provide support in 16%
Don't know 6%
Application Service Provider
Could provide support in 14%
Don't know 7%
Location and Directory Services
Could provide support in 11%
Don't know 6%
Operating System Services
Could provide support in 15%
Don't know 6%
System and Network Management
Could provide support in 15%
Don't know 6%
Transaction Processing Services
Could provide support in 11%
Don't know 7%
Application Implementation
Could provide support in 17%
Don't know 6%
Data Interchange Services
Could provide support in 13%
Don't know 6%
Desktop Services
Could provide support in 17%
Don't know 5%
Network Services
Could provide support in 15%
Don't know 6%
Security Services
Could provide support in 14%
Don't know 6%
Training
Could provide support in 17%
Don't know 5%
Other/s

 

QUESTION 12

12a   Please indicate OSS products that your organisation might be interested in using:
Linux (operating system)
Interested 20%
Don't know 15%
Apache (web server)
Interested 25%
Don't know 14%
Firefox (web browser)
Interested 25%
Don't know 14%
Thunderbird (email client)
Interested 15%
Don't know 16%
MySQL (database)
Interested 24%
Don't know 14%
Postgres SQL (database)
Interested 10%
Don't know 20%
Samba (file server)
Interested 18%
Don't know 15%
Squid (web proxy server)
Interested 16%
Don't know 16%
OpenOffice (word-processor and spreadsheet)
Interested 19%
Don't know 16%
Eclipse (software development environment)
Interested 10%
Don't know 19%
Gimp (graphic image processing)
Interested 19%
Don't know 16%
Snort (intrusion detection)
Interested 14%
Don't know 16%
Other/s

 

12b   If your organisation were to use OSS, please indicate specific OSS support services that you would require and services you could provide yourself.
Application Development
Could support ourselves (in house) 16%
Would require support in 18%
Don't know 13%
Application Service Provider
Could support ourselves (in house) 16%
Would require support in 15%
Don't know 13%
Location and Directory Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 16%
Would require support in 15%
Don't know 14%
Operating System Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 16%
Would require support in 14%
Don't know 13%
System and Network Management
Could support ourselves (in house) 17%
Would require support in 14%
Don't know 14%
Transaction Processing Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 15%
Would require support in 15%
Don't know 14%
Application Implementation
Could support ourselves (in house) 19%
Would require support in 15%
Don't know 11%
Data Interchange Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 18%
Would require support in 13%
Don't know 15%
Desktop Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 24%
Would require support in 10%
Don't know 10%
Network Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 19%
Would require support in 11%
Don't know 14%
Security Services
Could support ourselves (in house) 18%
Would require support in 15%
Don't know 14%
Training
Could support ourselves (in house) 19%
Would require support in 14%
Don't know 13%
Other/s

 
Section D: Strategic Considerations and Perceptions of OSS

QUESTION 13

13a   Please indicate the level of concern for each item when moving to a new technology:
Security
Critical concern 51%
Strong concern 33%
Mild concern 9%
No concern 3%
Don't know 1%
Support
Critical concern 36%
Strong concern 39%
Mild concern 17%
No concern 5%
Don't know 1%
Cost
Critical concern 33%
Strong concern 41%
Mild concern 18%
No concern 3%
Don't know 1%
Data Integrity
Critical concern 57%
Strong concern 35%
Mild concern 1%
No concern 3%
Don't know 1%
Migration Issues (changing systems)
Critical concern 35%
Strong concern 40%
Mild concern 18%
No concern 2%
Don't know 1%
Interoperability
Critical concern 34%
Strong concern 44%
Mild concern 14%
No concern 3%
Don't know 2%
Existing Contracts
Critical concern 15%
Strong concern 17%
Mild concern 31%
No concern 28%
Don't know 5%
Training
Critical concern 16%
Strong concern 41%
Mild concern 28%
No concern 9%
Don't know 2%
User Resistance
Critical concern 11%
Strong concern 30%
Mild concern 36%
No concern 17%
Don't know 2%
Compatibility with Existing Systems
Critical concern 36%
Strong concern 43%
Mild concern 14%
No concern 3%
Don't know 1%
Adherence to Open Standards
Critical concern 20%
Strong concern 40%
Mild concern 18%
No concern 10%
Don't know 6%
Legal/Licensing Ramifications
Critical concern 24%
Strong concern 33%
Mild concern 30%
No concern 9%
Don't know 1%
Management Resistance
Critical concern 14%
Strong concern 24%
Mild concern 25%
No concern 32%
Don't know 2%
Comment:

 

13b   Please indicate your organisation's position regarding the overall level of maturity of OSS for business use:
Open source is still experimental and not ready for business use.
Strongly Disagree 31%
Disagree 30%
Agree 11%
Strongly Agree 8%
Don't know 18%
Only some infrastructure OSS applications such as web-servers, data servers and firewalls are sufficiently mature for business use.
Strongly Disagree 16%
Disagree 30%
Agree 23%
Strongly Agree 9%
Don't know 19%
There are sufficient mature applications that OSS solutions should be given equal consideration to proprietary ones in all areas of business.
Strongly Disagree 7%
Disagree 14%
Agree 35%
Strongly Agree 22%
Don't know 20%
Comment:

 

QUESTION 14

14   Please indicate the level to which your organisation agrees/disagrees with the following comments:
In the future we plan to use more open source software.
Strongly Disagree 6%
Disagree 15%
Agree 35%
Strongly Agree 19%
Don't know 23%
When acquiring new software we prefer to purchase proprietary applications.
Strongly Disagree 10%
Disagree 36%
Agree 34%
Strongly Agree 7%
Don't know 9%
Proprietary software is generally more secure than open source software.
Strongly Disagree 18%
Disagree 33%
Agree 26%
Strongly Agree 3%
Don't know 16%
Open source software does not lock us in to a particular software vendor, thus giving us more choice.
Strongly Disagree 2%
Disagree 11%
Agree 51%
Strongly Agree 23%
Don't know 10%
Open source software is cheaper than proprietary software in the long run.
Strongly Disagree 5%
Disagree 10%
Agree 34%
Strongly Agree 23%
Don't know 26%
There are not enough local IT companies in Tasmania providing support for open source software for us to consider it seriously.
Strongly Disagree 5%
Disagree 19%
Agree 18%
Strongly Agree 11%
Don't know 43%
We don't know of any local companies in Tasmania that provide training for open source software products.
Strongly Disagree 5%
Disagree 22%
Agree 32%
Strongly Agree 15%
Don't know 25%
If a company that sells a particular proprietary software product that we rely on were to go out of business, then it may harm our business because we could no longer get support/upgrades.
Strongly Disagree 8%
Disagree 20%
Agree 38%
Strongly Agree 24%
Don't know 8%
The transition from our current set up to an open source environment would be too difficult.
Strongly Disagree 13%
Disagree 25%
Agree 16%
Strongly Agree 10%
Don't know 34%
We use proprietary software and are happy with the current performance and costs involved.
Strongly Disagree 7%
Disagree 24%
Agree 45%
Strongly Agree 11%
Don't know 9%
If a cheaper alternative was available we would consider moving to an open source environment with the right conditions.
Disagree 9%
Agree 55%
Strongly Agree 17%
Don't know 17%
The amount of money that we spend on software is too high.
Strongly Disagree 5%
Disagree 44%
Agree 31%
Strongly Agree 14%
Don't know 5%
The amount of money that we spend on software support is too high.
Strongly Disagree 7%
Disagree 47%
Agree 24%
Strongly Agree 11%
Don't know 9%
Tasmanian government IT procurement policy should include the option of open source software solutions.
Disagree 3%
Agree 38%
Strongly Agree 38%
Don't know 19%
Over the next 5 years the use of OSS solutions will increase significantly.
Disagree 9%
Agree 27%
Strongly Agree 36%
Don't know 25%
We are supportive of initiatives to assist the development of business opportunities for Tasmanian IT Industry.
Strongly Disagree 1%
Disagree 1%
Agree 45%
Strongly Agree 42%
Don't know 7%
Our organisation does not believe OSS will provide significant business benefits.
Strongly Disagree 23%
Disagree 32%
Agree 17%
Strongly Agree 2%
Don't know 22%
OSS assists develop innovative software.
Strongly Disagree 1%
Disagree 9%
Agree 33%
Strongly Agree 33%
Don't know 20%
We use open source software and are happy with the current performance and costs involved.
Strongly Disagree 5%
Disagree 19%
Agree 31%
Strongly Agree 25%
Don't know 14%
There is no difference between the longevity of data storage when using proprietary or OSS.
Strongly Disagree 7%
Disagree 10%
Agree 28%
Strongly Agree 11%
Don't know 38%
We would prefer to spend a large portion of our IT budget on services rather than licences.
Disagree 6%
Agree 50%
Strongly Agree 26%
Don't know 15%
We are supportive of the potential community and local industry benefits associated with open source software.
Disagree 5%
Agree 43%
Strongly Agree 34%
Don't know 15%