Open Source Software – The Reality
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Open Source-The Reality
The term ‘Open Source’ is used to describe software that is developed through public collaboration by peers. It refers to computer software whose source code is publicly available for others to access, share, and to modify as they see fit. For software to fit the standard definition of Open Source, it has to be freely redistributable, must include its source code and must allow modifications and derived works. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) which owns the Open Source certification mark also requires open source software licenses to be technology neutral, and not tied to any specific software product. The open source software movement was driven, at least in the early days, by companies and users looking to get away from the steep license fees and the vendor lock-in associated with proprietary software products licensed from major software vendors. Over the years, open source software products have become widely accepted and are today part of the software portfolio at many companies.
Open Source Myths
Though open source software has been around for some time now, several myths still surround its use, especially within commercial business environments. One of the most common myths associated with open source software is that it is too unreliable and unsupported. Neither is true. Open source code is often created by software professionals, academics and researchers. Programs are constantly tweaked, refined and supported over several years and are at least as reliable as commercial software. In many cases, commercial vendors use open source code to build their own software, which they then support like any other product of theirs. Another common myth surrounding open source software is that large enterprises do not use the software. This again is untrue because over the past few years, many enterprises have become extensive users of open source products that are often sold and supported by their major technology vendors. The fact that open source is free, has also led to the myth that the software therefore, must be inferior to commercial products. As with the other myths, this one is off target as well, because numerous research studies have shown open source products to match commercial products feature-for-feature. Some other common misconceptions about open source software relate to legal concerns and the ability of the software to support mission-critical applications.
The Benefits of Open Source
Those who get past such myths quickly discover that using open source software can have many benefits. One of the biggest of course, is cost. Open source products, even those that are distributed by commercial vendors, are significantly cheaper than proprietary software packages. Using open source products also eliminates the risk of being indefinitely tied to one vendor’s technology platform and product roadmap. Since open source products are the result of public collaboration, the products also undergo a lot more scrutiny and continuous enhancements compared to commercial products. As a result, they are also considered by many to be more secure, more auditable and more stable.
Limitations of Open Source
At the same time, open source has its limitations as well. The biggest has to do with the fact that open source software may not always be compatible with existing software products. As a result, introducing open source into a legacy environment could prove challenging. Another drawback with open source products is that they are not plug-and-play in the manner that shrink-wrapped commercial products are. In many instances, open source products have to be customised before it can work in a specific environment. Companies going the open source route for the first time could find the relative lack of support surrounding many open source programs, to be an issue.
A look at the future
Going forward, it appears almost certain that open source technologies are here to stay. Once dismissed as a passing trend by many, the open source movement has become a legitimate part of the software industry. Despite continuing misconceptions about the software, a growing number of companies are climbing on the open source bandwagon driven by cost, security and technology flexibility issues. As long as that happens, open source software will continue to thrive.
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Open Source Software – The Reality (519)
