Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
ensure that critical documents can be examined and reproduced across a
wide range of software platforms and printer devices.
The requirement for using open standards may sound daunting, but
it is not; for example, almost all word processing applications can store
and access documents in text format, whether in ASCII, EBCDIC, or
Unicode (formats used by different computer types to store character
data). Plain text, while perhaps not as visually appealing as other formats,
is an open standard by which these applications can share information—
even between commercial (Lotus, Microsoft Office) and open-source
(OpenOffice, Star Office) word processors.
The Best Solution
Beyond all else, which is the best solution? Ultimately, as long as the tech-
nology does the job efficiently, can be supported and maintained, and
provides an acceptable return on investment, then it is a good solution.
While academics and die-hard geeks can argue over the Platonic ideal of
the “ultimate best” technology, the only best solution is one that can be
accomplished so that the next can be addressed.
Technology is not a goal—it is a support function that allows business
to be conducted, and sometimes a tool that may provide new opportuni-
ties for client and user services. Most organizations have neither the tech-
nical skills nor need to access source code and build their own versions of
common applications, while all organizations need the greatest value for
their dollar. Whether an enterprise pays commercial licensing fees or pays
for integration support of free open-source software alternatives, technol-
ogy will remain a costly proposal. The strategies described in coming
chapters will help minimize this cost, allow long-term operational plan-
ning, and produce a robust and agile enterprise.