Not Invented Here #22 – Illusion of control

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ely4wOIwn04 All modern systems are built out of components. Those components can come in different forms: 3rd-party proprietary, open source and developed in-house. Open source seems to be the most popular option nowadays and one may think that using open-source components is an all-around win. It is a win, but not all-around. 3rd-party proprietary * minimal initial effort to start getting benefits from the component: some learning curve, but no heavy lifting with development * all encompassing solution with features you do not need but still have to deal with * fairly good understanding of costs related to getting maintenance for the component over time * minimal control over direction of development * possible dead ends because of lack of transparency DIY components * tightly focused solution that delivers exactly what you need * significant upfront costs and long and, maybe, costly further maintenance * with all that comes full control over the direction of development * draws resources and attention from the core competency Open source * ready-made solution that requires minimal to start using * free basic maintenance by the comunity * solution with wide focus and sometimes “half way there” functionality * illusion of control induced by the fact that source can be forked and taken in-house