For those of you who aren't real familiar with me, I'm an avid open source fan - I believe that open source software is a fantastic thing and has proved itself to have many, many benefits. Microsoft actively combats the popularity of open source software by trying to throw things like TCO and ROI at us and then see what sticks. Most of it doesn't stick.

One of the things that I think has created a new burst in the popularity of open source software is the concept of virtual appliances, especially VMware Virtual Appliance Marketplace. If you look at the appliances available in the marketplace, they are predominately Linux appliances, and most of the ones that aren't Linux appliances are other open source operating systems, like OpenSolaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, etc.

Why? Licensing. While there are a couple of evaluation copies of Windows-based appliances floating around out there, people don't like the idea of downloading something only to have it expire in 60, 90, 180 days, etc. They want something that they can download and try, then use in production if they decide they like it. Microsoft licensing doesn't lend itself well (at all??) to this type of usage. Open Source licensing does. And the virtual appliance concept gives those who may shy away from the "trouble" of installing Linux, Solaris, *BSD, etc., the opportunity to download and run a machine and see what it's like.

Score another victory for the open source community, and keep posting those open virtual appliances out there!