There has been a lot of talk about open-source software and the dramatic effect it may have on e-discovery. Some people say it’s just for the more technology-savvy attorneys. Others say that EDD software will mature into a commoditized market where open source works best. Still others say that open-source software will bring EDD tools to every lawyer who needs them. Whatever conversation you listen to, know that open-source software is not free like the air you breathe.
You can get the code free, but making use of the software costs time and materials. Although there is “EDD for Everybody,” the time is your time, unless you hire someone else, and your material to maintain and upgrade unless you outsource your infrastructure requirements and move to software as a service and hosting models.
