Open source has always been the underdog on the software scene, but it continues to draw intense interest from users and vendors alike in North America. Users want to avoid vendor lock-in and are attracted to potential cost savings. And vendors and value-added resellers see opportunities for innovation in the software market because of differences in the two markets, what works south of the border may not work here, at least in some respects, according to Michael O'Neil, managing director of Info-Tech Indaba.