 packages require a high level of customization to deploy, where others are closer to "out of the box" solutions. Which solution an IIC chooses really depends on its requirements, value proposition, and the resources it chooses to commit to maintaining and refining its OSS application. 3.1 Customization VS. Configuration It is important to distinguish between configuration and customization. Any application will require some level of configuration to deploy. Configuring an application means shaping its behavior to the IIC's needs and preparing it for live use. This involves building the database, setting up security, setting user interface options, and establishing process flows and task queues. Leading contemporary applications come with well-organized graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that allow almost anyone with some basic training to configure the application. GUIs can range in ease of use and capability, though in general they are improving. Many GUIs use pull down menus and other graphical data capturing devices to walk users through configuring the application. Some applications, as we will discuss below, are almost too configurable. In other words, some applications are SO flexible that IICs feel they take too much time and expertise to deploy. In theory, these systems can be the most customizable and the most readily adapted and updated. In practice, the upfront investment to get them running makes IICs wary. Ultra- configurable applications require a lot of attention and expertise to get the most out of them. Most applications, even those with configuration GUIs, still require people with coding expertise to configure them. In some cases, a selected application cannot support certain products, practices or processes an IIC wishes to deploy and must be modified. Arguably, if an application requires added coding, that can be considered customization. Keep in mind that depending on the design of the application, the need to customize could be caused by something simple. Chapter 5 - The Enterprise OSS Platf