Roller coasters and cars

Another funny thing about roller coasters and cars: the amount of control, and the cost per ride.

A roller coaster gives me very little control over my experience, and I must buy a ticket for each ride.

It's no surprise those two things are connected:

Why do I have to buy a ticket? Because I don't own the ride.

And why do I have very little control? Because I don't own the ride. The owners have a strong interest in providing a very predictable experience for all riders, so they can't afford to give riders control over that experience.

On the other hand, my car gives me a great deal of control over any number of rides, and though I do bear the cost of purchasing and maintaining it, I never have to buy a ticket.

Consider this a metaphor for the difference between a subscription-based software-as-a-service CRM and a self-hosted open-source CRM.

The one gives you an awful lot of predictability in exchange for limited control and pay-to-play pricing.

The other gives you more flexibility for a lower overall cost of ownership, in exchange for increased complexity (and the resulting potential for frustration).

They each have their place.

The question for folks like you and me is this: Is the extra flexibility worth the increased complexity — and is there perhaps a way to master that complexity so I can get the flexibilty without the frustration?

All the best,
A.