The double-edged sword of the economy for open source

When I talk to vendors, I can often tell how truly open source they are based on their response to the question: what has been the impact of the economy on your business? Those that still have a foot or more in the proprietary software world frequently say, ‘Well, times are tough, but we aren’t really seeing any impact.’ Those that are enjoying the benefits of open source software development, distribution and cost will typically say, ‘We think organizations are being forced to cut costs at the same time they are being forced into compliance and regulation, so it’s driving deals our way.’