Encryptec Open Source Initiative

We are specialists in the provision and maintenance of Open Source software systems. Open Source software is mostly "free". The Open Source aspects of our business are centred on providing technical oversight and consultation services to our customers.

As a promotional offer, we are offering bona-fide UK businesses an almost cost-free opportunity to evaluate the business potential of such systems. No special technical knowledge/ability will be needed.

What are we offering?

Subject to demand, we are offering to provide, on loan for one month, a ready-to-use computer equipped with a selection of basic Open Source business software including a Word Processor ,  Spreadsheet , browser etc.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch (!)

The only costs involved in accepting this offer would be a £100 returnable deposit, and the cost of courier transit (both ways). The offer is not conditional upon any future commitment either to Open Source software, or Encryptec as a company.

• Surely there must be a reason why Encryptec is doing this?"
  Indeed there is. We would not expect anyone to even consider changing to Encryptec's Open Source business systems without first seeing them in use.
• But there are some costs?
  Sure, you pay to transport it back and fore, but Encryptec will lend you a fully installed / configured Linux machine for a month, AND will provide some free initial support and remote assistance if required.
• What's the Catch?
  You need to be a Limited UK company, you need to pay to have the machine collected / returned either using our couriers or a courier of your choice.  If you want to keep the machine for more than the month, we can rent it to you for an additional 3 months at £15 per month. We also ask for a £100 deposit, which is refunded in full upon the return of the machine.
• We currently have a number of surplus machines in stock (although these are "used" rather than "new") and hopefully we can provide something that will be relevant to your needs.
• What's in it for us?
  We have a broad range of IT related products and services, some of which are detailed on this website. Our hope is that after dealing with Encryptec you will consider us when you come to make future IT related purchasing decisions.
• Anything else?
  For anyone really committed to trying an "Open Source" solution we can provide a consultant and on-site installation (typically) for a relatively modest fee. Details on request.
  

Background information about Open Source software ...

A bit about Open Source from our perspective ...

Open Source Category A

This software typically started out with one individual either saying "I can do it better" or "I want it but I don't want to pay for it" , followed by some development, followed by a release of the result to the general population.

Motivation will vary from project to project, sometimes it's pure fun / interests, sometimes there's an element of "up yours" to the establishment, and sometimes there a degree of "look how good I am". In any event, this has led to hundreds of thousands of "Open Source" projects of varying degrees of quality. Of these projects there are a sufficient number of "high quality" projects to sustain entire software System Ecosystems, one of these is often known as "Linux", although "Linux" itself is actually one specific project around which many others have gathered.

Open Source Category B

Companies with their own products that they're looking to sell often face a market with an excess of choice. In fact some of the choice may even be "free", so getting someone to try "expensive" software when there is a potentially "free" alternative can often leave what is probably very good software, "untried".

Solution:: release a "free" version of the software with a number of (typically) Enterprise level features removed .. so many companies, typically SME's can try the software and use if for free. Once those companies reach a size where they need the additional features, they either need to change their IT infrastructure, or pay for the software.

Open Source Category C (how on earth do they make any money?)

This category should probably include Mozilla Firefox, OpenOffice and many of the projects supported by Google. Typically these are projects of exceptional quality supported by a combination of corporate sponsorship, advertising, optional commercial support and Open Source developers.

Open Source and the credit crunch

It may be with the current state of the World's financial system that many companies will go bust, some of these may be your suppliers and may have written software for your company. If the maker of your accounting software for example were to go belly up, you would in the relatively short term likely face a bill from an alternative supplier. (not to mention an infrastructure change and a re-training bill!)

If on the other hand (just for example) you were running an "Open Source" accounting system, the worst case scenario would be that the developers could no longer afford to work on the project. This does however always leave the door open for others to take over the project and carry it on, indeed if the software was key then your company could always part-sponsor the projects so the developers could afford to keep it up, or even pay other developers to take it over. (or indeed take it over yourself)

Point being, if the product were "Closed Source", vendor company going bust would likely be "the end" of the product and your chances of seeing the source code for the product would be slim to none.