Not Invented Here (was: Re: [ale] Semi-OT: Content Managment Systems..)

[Michael D. Hirsch]

On Thursday 19 June 2003 04:26 pm, Dylan Northrup wrote:
> A long time ago, (19.06.03), in a galaxy far, far away, George Carless 
wrote:
> :=Do what any real programmer does - write your own. ;)
>
> Better yet, do what any real smart programmer does - don't re-invent the
> wheel :-)

Hear hear!

> :=I've been developing my own CMS for a few years, now.. it's too
> : archaic =for public release, really, but I know it inside and out and
> : can do crazy =things with it.. better than having to contend with
> : other people's code, =and a better learning experience.  But maybe I'm
> : just a loon.
>
> If software fits your needs, use it and don't re-write it because of
> some infliction of Not Invented Here syndrome.

I've come to the conclusion that NIH is a symptom of closed source.  I 
began to understand NIH at my last job when the biggest problems we had to 
deal with were all code we were buying from outside companies.  If we had 
a problem all we could do was ask them to fix it.  We could threaten to 
withhold payment, or otherwise be nasty, if they didn't fix it, but we 
were powerless to control our own destiny.

The beauty of Open Source is that even if you get the code from somewhere 
else, you still control your destiny.  You may not be able to threaten to 
withhold cash, but you actually own the code!  If your need is great 
enough you can fix it yourself.

Using someone else's Open Source project gives you the benefits of 
outsourcing, for less cost, and little of the disadvantages.

I think that IBM really understands this.  They used to be rife with NIH, 
but now they've embraced Open Source company wide.

Michael
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