Not the first time
In fact I've seen this pattern before, usually with open source or other no-budget-approval-required sourceing, and it typically goes in three stages:
"Don't know": The techies are using it and spreading it among themselves, nobody else is even aware
"Don't ask, don't tell": low- and mid-level managers know, but as long as it is helping meet budget and project goals, they look the other way.
"Don't care": finally, senior management finds out, and as long as it hasn't dragged in some security or liability issue, they have no interest in ripping it out. (Although they may be pissed about the commercial licenses for equivalent products that they are paying for and not using.)
Biting the hand that feeds IT
