Screw it up beyond all recognition if you want....
Sorry, I can't see users being able to tweak the code as being a plus.
"software costs are a small percentage of an overall IT budget. The largest part of the IT budget is usually staffing, not software."
But if you want to speak of users its not just the tweaking of code you get with opensource. YOU never have to worry about a subscription model for software (which has been floated by various closed source companies like Microsoft and Sun) where one day you need to resubscribe rather than jut outright own the software that you use.
"Sorry, I can't see users being able to tweak the code as being a plus."
Just the other day I bought a new motherboard. I run Linux and this motherboard's manufacturers release drivers for Linux. Unfortunately, the drivers are not up-to-date with the current version of the software and simply will not work. I merely take the source code, spend about 45 minutes recoding a portion (including debugging and test times) and viola, I am running the latest software. No calling the manufacturer, no complaining, no sitting around waiting for the drivers to get made. Nope, a little time, a little skill and it just works.
I have had problems where I have had to just wait under closed sources solutions. My ATI card on my laptop is one that comes to mind.
Oh, for those who are wondering, I have a working sk98lin driver for Marvell's 88E8053 gigabit ethernet for the newer Linux kernels (mine is 2.6.13-rc3). Will try to get a patch out later this week if time permits.
"Sorry, I can't see users being able to tweak the code as being a plus."
I feel the same way about cars. Why should a car's owner be able to fiddle with its engine? He MUST take it to the dealer for any modification, otherwise he is just messing it up. And don't get me started on the proliferation of mechanics out there that could make an engine run improperly. Mechanics make cars run into other cars and cars that don't work properly. I don't even know why they sell cars with hoods that drivers or these 'mechanics' can open.
/white-hot sarcasm
Yeah, like no company has ever shipped code that was already screwed up.
And no company has ever discontinued support for a product that will penalize businesses, requiring them to invest lots of dollars to upgrade.
Sorry, I can't see users being able to tweak the code as being a plus.
Fortunately, lots and lots of OSS developers disagree with you.