[PLUG] HUD/RD Software

[Rich Shepard]

On Fri, 20 Aug 2004, Aaron Burt wrote:

> Yow!  And there are lots of other "niche" markets like that. Heck, at
> Collab-Tech, we're getting ready to push out an install of a web-based
> care management system for mental health clinics. That's a market in
> itself, but the system seems like it'd be adaptable to other types of
> medical care. Hmm...

Aaron,

  Think Chinese Medicine: accupuncture, herbal treatments, etc. I believe
that it is this bottom-up approach that will help linux become more widely
established in business.pp

> That's been my hope for a while--that OSS would allow the little guys to
> work these kinds of niches by allaying the risk of abandonware. If ya
> want it maintained, ya just pays someone.

  There is an equally powerful argument at the front-end, too. Suppose a
prospective client could arrange to spend $5,000 for a 'starter' system.
Software licenses for a Microsoft-based solution could consume a significant
proportion of that. That leaves you to try to give them quality and support
for less than it's really worth. But, with FOSS, all the budget goes to you.
They get better value for their money and you have more with which to work.
Win-win.

> Heck, even the system the app is written needs to be OSS. Witness the
> troubles caused by MS "upgrading" Access and breaking old code.

  Well, they have done the same with Excel macros based on what I've read.
I also heard that Access is either a flat-file dbms or the front end to
other systems. It does work as a front end to the winduhs port of
PostgreSQL.

> I've been focussing on Linux applications in the non-profit sphere lately,
> but now I'm trying to move beyond that, and more into getting OSS out into
> all kinds of endeavors. I really appreciate the inspiration,

  You're very welcome.

  Here's another potential avenue: home-based businesses. It's been a number
of years since I saw the statistics, but the last numbers were more than
20,000 home-based businesses _registered_ in Oregon. These are not the meth
labs, either. A former neighbor of mine designed, programmed and installed
conrollers that converted saw mills from large-diameter trees to
small-diameter trees. His wife worked in the garage, wiring and soldering
control panels while he wrote and burned the code onto eproms. Great people.
Another former neighbor built sand-rails (what we used to call dune buggies)
in his garage. Then there are all the day care providers. They need to keep
records of all sorts of stuff to demonstrate they're qualified and haven't
lost any kids lately.

  If you get used to thinking where others fear to tread, I belive there's
almost unlimited potential available.

Rich

-- 
Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President
Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)
<http://www.appl-ecosys.com>