leader in Linux and Open Source technologies for the Spanish market, has carried
out its I Report on the use of technologies based on free software in Spain.
The
“I
Andago Report on the use of Linux and Open Source in the
Spanish corporative environment“;
has been based on a sample of the most important and influential
1,500 companies in the Spanish market, from invoicing data for the last fiscal
year. This study is the first report made in Spain and becomes a reference source
on the use of Open Source technologies in the country.
This
report shows the results of surveys made from April to October 2002 directed
at the main people in charge of IT in these big companies, in a questionnaire
containing the following data:
-
Degree of knowledge of Open Source technologies
-
Degree of penetration of these technologies in the IT infrastructure
-
Company
strategy for introducing Linux
The main
conclusion thrown up by the I Andago Report is that the degree of penetration
of technologies based on free software in the corporative world has increased
considerably. A few years ago, the use of Open Source technologies was restricted
to university environments and GNU/Linux companies, but is now being widely
accepted by big companies.
According
to this study, 89% of IT management in Spain know
about Open Source technologies and are familiarized with this type of open systems;
consequently this phenomenon is evolving in the corporative environment.
In
reference to the use of free software, 25% of big
Spanish companies already use it, especially Linux technology. On the other
hand, 26% of the companies in the survey are thinking of incorporating these
technologies in the near future, which would suppose a penetration of 50%
using Open Source among big Spanish companies.
The
favorable tendency in the use of open source systems has been increased by diverse
factors, like the degree of maturity of the main GNU/Linux applications, the
bet by big companies and sectors such as Public Administration and the growing
popularity among the media who are using Linux, offered as a big alternative
to owner based software.
These
figures indicate that in Spain the tendency in the use of Linux is favorable,
occupying third position in Europe in the use of technologies based in Open
Source. The results of similar studies like the FLOSS report, carried out on
big companies in the UK, Germany and Sweden show that 43% of German firms, 31%
of English firms and 18% of Swedish use Open Source technologies.
Saving in costs,
the main advantage of using free software
The
reasons why the main companies that use, or are thinking of using,
Open Source technologies, consist of the following order: saving in
costs, quality of the technology and the independence of the
supplier. This data is similar to that of the above-mentioned FLOSS
report, in which 56% of firms analyzed in Europe list price and
independence as the main reasons for using Linux and Open Source. The
people in charge of IT place a positive value on these types of
technologies that become a technological alternative and which allow
implantations of high quality at low cost, without implying economic
dependencies on suppliers, and that offer flexibility to the company.
As
far as the use of technologies based on Linux, a predominance of Internet servers
is noticeable, where the number is increasing considerably, being the majority
technology, though, also, a positive move toward applications and data servers
can be seen. Moreover, an important percentage of this usage, 12%, is found
in users terminals and desktop environments, with very complete office automation
applications.
The
conclusions of this I Andago Report show a rising tendency among big Spanish
companies who have knowledge of the existence and advantages of the technologies
based on free software. This set of factors augurs a promising future for Linux/Open
Source technologies and companies who are starting to base their services around
these technologies.
About
Andago
Andago
is a Spanish company specialized in the development of technology of
Internet and Telecommunications, leader in Linux technology in Spain
in the business sector and Administration. The company was set up in
1996, thanks to a group of professionals led by José María
Olmo, president of the company, who bet on the use of Linux in the
carrying out of IT projects. In Andago’s history, the two
biggest implantations of Linux in the Spanish Administration, the
Virtual Map, based on the connection of all the centers of the
Ministry of Public Administration, and the recently presented LinEx,
the distribution of Linux adapted for its spreading to all the
citizens of Extremadura, a unique initiative in all Europe by an
Administration. In the business sector Andago carries out projects
for clients like AOL, Vodafone, Euskaltel, Terra, Accenture, Abengoa
Group and Prisa Group. Andago relies on the backing of the Talde
Group as an investor, holding 25 % of company shares, while the
remainder is in the hands of private investors and the management
team.
“
