Open Source Search: Isn't it Expensive?

You've heard the debate on open source search vs. proprietary search. One question that constantly comes up for prospective clients is "What's all this going to cost me?"

In these times, it's a good question. Because proprietary has neatly packaged, practically shrink wrapped plans, it's much easier to discern how much you will spend on a solution. But how much will it cost? That's an entirely different question.

I see you cocking your head sideways.

Proprietary search has hidden costs. What if the software doesn't perform the way you need it to? Does the software understand the nuances of your business? How adaptable is it? How much will it cost to adapt that software to get it to perform the way my business needs it to? Questions like this need to be asked, and answered. Eventually you will ask yourself....why am I paying for all of this? And your developer will ask, "why can't I access the source code?"

What I'm getting at is this: it is a reassuring feeling for a customer to see what a package costs, to understand what services you will get with a solution, and to anticipate what the licensing fee will cost on an annual basis. If it's your job to research a solution and present findings to your executive team to make a decision, then proprietary search, on the surface, seems a more secure choice. But rarely, if ever, are these solutions a perfect fit for the customer. It's like buying a Ferrari, with all the brand recognition and polish a Ferrari offers, and not ever driving it past second gear, or cutting the wheel more than 15 degrees, or getting a chance to have your trusted mechanic look under the hood. This is why open source is such a good solution for businesses who want their IT to move quickly.

We're hearing more buzz about companies waking up to the agility of an open source solution. Most recently, with the acquisition of Autonomy by HP, the industry is telling stories of ex Autonomy customers migrating to Solr (open source search) with only the annual licencing budget to finance the migration. Without an annual expenditure of cash for licensing, and the freedom of not being under a licensing agreement, companies quickly recoup the initial expenditure of a migration.

What kind of car does your company drive?