In a press release issued late last month analyst heavyweight Gartner made a series of technology predictions for the coming years. Things such as software as a service and Apple gaining significant ground by 2011 may not be completely unexpected. But embedded in the content of the release is the following:

By 2012, 80 percent of all commercial software will include elements of open source technology. Many open source technologies are mature, stable and well supported. They provide significant opportunities for vendors and users to lower their total cost of ownership and increase returns on investment. Ignoring this will put companies at a serious competitive disadvantage. Embedded open source strategies will become the minimal level of investment that most large software vendors will find necessary to maintain competitive advantages during the next five years.

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