When time matters

SOME OF THE benefits of working with open-source solutions are not obvious. I was reminded of this recently when I decided to build a TV time-shifting box for use at home. We really don't watch too much TV, but the few shows we do watch seem to act like a magnet for telemarketers and other interruptions. Besides, my week seems a little worse when I miss The Red Green Show.

Sure, I could run out and buy a TiVo. But, frankly, I don't want to pay a few hundred bucks for the device and then a monthly fee just to use the thing. For lots of folks, it's a good solution, but it's more than I need.

So I started a little project to roll my own. I had some very specific requirements, including the fact that recording had to be totally automatic and almost foolproof. I wanted the PC to be very small, keyboard-free, and network-accessible. I also wanted to keep my costs low, since the problem did not warrant a huge investment. As a result, I now have a dictionary-sized PC that automatically records weekly programs, storing about 25 hours of programming on its hard drive for a total cost of about $300.

But the key to the solution is its open-source software. Sure, the software kept costs low (a zero-dollar solution can do that for you), but there was a hidden savings: time. Open source let me develop a solution that met my specific needs in a very short time.

I remember how the process used to go when I'd scope out solutions in the closed-source world. There would be brochures to peruse. There would be data sheets read. Maybe there would be crippleware demos to run. And then there would be a solution to buy.

Unfortunately, this takes time. Significant time. And in the Internet age, time is critical.

But in the world of open source, I had several options right on my Linux CD. I didn't have to waste time with endless marketing materials. I didn't have to lose time playing with limited function demos. And I didn't have to wait for boxes of software to show up on my door or product keys to arrive in the e-mail. Instead, I could quickly install each product, try it out, and pick the ones that gave me the results I wanted. In my case, Mplayer edged out Xine for displaying videos because of the way it fits my TV screen.

What could have taken a few days -- or longer if this were a business application and I had to wait for an acquisition-approval process -- was compressed into hours. In fact, I had a working prototype within hours after beginning my investigation.

In the world of 21st-century computing, "time to implement" is a critical factor. Long development times mean lost opportunities. Open source allows you to move quickly and nimbly. Instead of waiting for tools, you can find them and use them immediately.

That's an excellent benefit that can help make you successful.