Linux Format forums

[kamrananvaar]

the LSE is not just moving from one application to another, but from running someone else's software to running its own, by buying a company that makes it. One reason: it's massively cheaper:
http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?RSS&entryid=2568

[towy71]

That looks all good to me not only does GNU/Linux get a big boost but Microparp gets a bloody nose too
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still looking for that door into summer

[johnhudson]

That's an interesting spin. The background is the massive outage a year ago which lost its members billions of pounds. LSE is now playing catch-up with all the other stock exchanges that moved to open source some years ago. But do you need to own a company to deploy open source? I think not.

[guy]

LSE have been exceedingly hacked off by the "other priorities" their proprietary suppliers showed when it came to routine support, bugfixes and upgrades. Writing their own software should in future ensure a client-focused priority from the developers.

I guess that if you intend to be the major code contributor from here on in, you might as well hire the coding team, managers and offices all in one lump - the trademark is just a bonus freebie.

LSE also provide and/or support systems similar to their own, at a few other stock exchanges. Owning the suppler will no doubt help LSE to extend their client base and provide client-focused support to these guys too. No harm in growing a profitable business and making money where you can. eh? Nor in picking your competitors' brains for new ideas.

My only worry is whether LSE understand how heavily the quality of their new software depends on the free software culture, and how the developer base would slowly rot if they tried introducing proprietary licensing into the mix.
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Cheers,
Guy
The eternal help vampire

[johnhudson]

Would you buy a system from a Stock Exchange that has so calamitously failed to manage its own systems when there are half a dozen other stock exchanges who had the good sense to go open source several years ago?

As the insurance companies say, 'Past performance is no guarantee of future performance' but what would persuade you to entrust your savings to a poorly performing company?

[guy]