Lower Cost

Nothing Is Free, But Some Things Cost Less

• That free software is usually "free as in beer" has given rise to the popular misconception that free software is always free of cost.
• There are costs involved in implementing free software. These costs usually come in the guise of consulting or salaries for knowledge-able personnel.
• Since free software are usually considered more "difficult," it is usually essential to have on staff someone who knows how to operate the software. This person is usually not an entry-level person, but someone who has spent many years working with and developing open source software, and hence, is more expensive.
• However, once the solution is developed and working, FOSS licensing usually allows multiple and as-many installations without any extra fee. The cost savings to an agency, or a multi-agency installation are enormous.
• The story of how migrating to Linux saved Amazon millions of dollars is well documented.