SA Tenets – If You Can’t Open It, You Don’t Own It

This is a continuation of the “SA Tenets” series of posts in which I discuss my beliefs about System Administration and work in general

If You Can’t Open It, You Don’t Own It

This one is borrowed from the MAKE crowd. The gist is to not let external parties dictate what you can and can not do with your resources.

You Don’t Own Closed Hardware or Software

If you buy a hardware solution and are unable to open it up and replace failed parts, then you don’t really own it. You are obligated to pay others for service, forever. If you lease software in binary form, then you don’t own it (both figuratively and legally). You will be at the mercy of the real owners, paying whatever they wish to charge. Want a real-world example? It was years ago, but read what happened to Revlon.

Bet Your Business on Resources You Own

If you want total control over your hardware and software then you must make your own. This is often not practical, but it is the most complete solution. You control every aspect, but now you need to employ quality developers and engineers.

Open-Source software is often a good compromise. You get access to all aspects of the hardware and software in exchange for sharing any changes you make with the rest of the community.

And it’s a lot harder for anyone to hold you hostage.