Re: New forum topic - Open Control
Feb 6, 2002 4:11 pm, by Ken Crater
Text :
Ken Crater:
> - adherence to published, freely-usable
> standards at key interfaces(bus, protocol,
> physical form factor, signal levels, etc.).

Ralph Mackiewicz:
If the standard costs $100 to purchase from
a standards organization does this preclude
its use in your definition? Or does "freely-
usable" mean no restrictions on use such as
royalties?

Ken Crater:
The latter. In open-source parlance, this is "free" as in free speech, not free as in "free beer". In other words, a standards org can charge
for the paper the standard is printed on, but the intellectual property content of the standard must be open for free use if it is to meaningfully be called an "open" standard.

Ken:
> - unbundled support available at a variety
> of levels from a selection of providers.

Ralph:
I am curious as to what "unbundled support"
means. I have a preconception that it means
that if you buy some software that you must
also purchase support. Or would the situation
where support is simply optional meet this
criteria?

Ken:
If there is no requirement to pay for support in order to obtain the hardware/software, and the hardware/software is not "opaque", then the
option becomes available to obtain third-party support at the best price/competence levels for your company.

Ken:
> The whole point of open control is to reduce
> cost and risk, and increase flexibility to
> respond to change.

Ralph:
[...] There are many elements of cost including
purchase price, installation, packaging, support,
maintenance, modification/flexibility,
productivity/throughput, etc. [...]

Ken:
True, and it is in the consideration of the full range of these cost elements that open technologies become the most attractive. Openness has its true value in the expansion of options, which can benefit the user throughout the lifecycle of a system. As Ralph points out, the near-term issue revolves around the support infrastructure, which has grown in the computer industry and which we are helping to grow in the controls industry (including on this forum <grin>).

Ken Crater
Control.com Inc.
ken@control.com
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