"System management companies [such as IBM and CA] don't have a choice -- many customers are mandating Linux as an environment," says Governor. "People talk about IBM pushing Linux, IBM has been dragged to Linux. If you don't make your applications available on Linux you can't sell into some of the biggest companies in the world."
Future plans at CA
Gupta says CA is unlikely to open source another technology in the near future. "At this point I don't see another CA technology that will imminently be put into open source," he explains.
Ovum's Barnett believes it is unlikely that CA will ever release the source code of its most popular software, such as its Unicenter management software. "I don't see them open sourcing chunks of their crown-jewel applications like Unicenter," he says
Red Monk's Governor believes CA is unlikely to get more support from the open-source community unless it contributes to one of its newer technologies.
"If they committed something new, rather than something legacy [Ingres] to the open source community -- that's when they'll get support," says Governor.
The attitude of the majority of the former proprietary-only software vendors to open source appears to be one of 'If you can't beat them, join them.' CA has certainly done more than most to join the open-source movement but only time will tell if the belief goes deep enough to guarantee the company's long-term surivival as enterprises increasingly see community developed software as a trustworthy alternative.
ZDNet UK's Ingrid Marson reported from London. For more coverage on ZDNet UK Insight, click here.
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