I was sorry to have missed the Open Source in eGovernment conference last week. Unfortunately that and OSBC were both scheduled the same week and I had to choose. Marc Adreessen was there and gave 12 reasons for the growth of open source:

1. The Internet is powered by open source.
2. The Internet is the carrier for open source.
3. The Internet is also the platform through which open source is developed.
4. It's simply going to be more secure than proprietary software.
5. Open source benefits from anti-American sentiments.
6. Incentives around open source include the respect of one's peers.
7. Open source means standing on the shoulders of giants.
8. Servers have always been expensive and proprietary, but Linux runs on Intel.
9. Embedded devices are making greater use of open source.
10. There are an increasing number of companies developing software that aren't software companies.
11. Companies are increasingly supporting Linux.
12. It's free.