If the availability of professional services becomes a deal killer for you, then become part of the channel. The Future of Linux Business cycles exist. Within an industry, the first phase finds many entrants and rapid growth of products and services. We call this the growth phase. Economists refer to the second phase as one of consolidation.
Weak companies fail, stronger ones buy up business and only a few players remain.
With news of the failure of Linux companies the past few weeks, consultants should realize than Linux transitioned into a consolidation phase months ago. The Linux survivors who stand at the end of this phase will have brain power, the best products and the guys on the line that keep the industry going. Don t count firms like Caldera out. If anything, they have the qualities to wind up a winner. They have the determination to win business by winning the channel.