Linux.be - Open Source advantages

What does Open Source mean and why is it so important to so many others ? We discuss this matter here, especially the advantages for businesses as yours.

``Open Source promotes software reliability and quality by supporting independent peer review and rapid evolution of source code. '' - opensource.org

Openness

All advantages of Open Source are a result of (ta-ta) its openness. Having the code makes it easy to resolve problems (by yourself or the next guy) which means that you don't have to rely on only one vendor for fixing potential problems. This is very important to understand everything that follows.

Stability

Since you can rely on anyone and since the license states that any modification shipped elsewhere should be equally open, this means that after a period of time Open Source software is more stable then most commercially distributed software. (beware: Open Source doesn't necessarily mean you don't have to pay for it, though it usually is a result of its freedom.)

Adaptability

Open Source software means Open Standards, thus it is easy to adapt software to work closely with other Open Source software and even closed protocols and proprietary applications. This solves vendor lock-in situations which ties your hands and knees to one and only one vendor if you choose one's products.

Quality

Not only does software evolve onto a stable product, a large userbase also supplies new possibilities, making it a feature-rich solution. More new features, less bugs and a broader (testing) audience (peer-review) are significant to the quality of a product.

Innovation

Competition is what drives innovation and Open Source keeps competition alive. As noone has any unfair advantages, everybody has the possibility to add value and provide services. Information wants to be free.

Security

It is widely known that security by obscurity is not a secure practice in the long run. By opening the code and by wide adoption of Open Source software, it grows more secure. Generally, new Open Source projects tend to be insecure, but once a project matures and becomes production-ready, it is more reliable and more secure than most available commercial software.

Zero-price tag ?

Although Open Source doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't cost a dime. Most Open Source software is freely available and doesn't cost any additional licenses per user/year. This allows us to cut down in price and spend more time to create more secure and adapted solutions than commercial consultancy firms.