Open Source Software
What is it actually?
Anyone who wants to introduce software is faced with an important question: open source or commercial software ?
Basically, you should think carefully about the purposes for which the software will serve, because the decision about which software is right for your company is made for a long period of time. If a company backs the wrong horse, there are often significantly higher development costs and less flexibility, both of which can last in the long term.
We would like to show you why the decisionto use open source software is a good one.
What is open source anyway?
" Open Source " or also Free Software, means that the source code of a software is open and freely accessible and the permission exists to use this. So you can edit open source programs yourself, adapt them to your own needs and then distribute them further.
Open source is not necessarily free, however many open source programs are provided free of charge. Enterprise functions can be offered against payment with the extensions and support. Free, in this context "Free Software" , refers here therefore more to the freedom of use .
One has no exclusive rights to the software and is subject to constant control and improvement.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive!"
As already written in Acts 15, open source works on this principle. Those who use open source should not only take, but also give their findings back tothe open source community !
Advantages Open Source
Over the past decade, the adoption of open source software at the enterprise levelhas been successful as more and more companies have discovered the significant benefits of open source over their proprietary solution approaches.
Companies looking to make intelligent use of open source software will find many good reasons to do so. Here are just a few of them.
Why Open Source
Advantages at a glance
High security standards, security gaps are closed more quickly.
Scalability, from single-user versions to enterprise networks.
Open Source stands for proven, reliable software with high software quality.
Innovative
Fast and continuous development of the software by the community.
Open source code, guarantees maximum transparency and trust in the software.
Fast and continuous development of the software by the community.
Are you looking for a suitable open source ERP solution?
We have just the right thing for this, too. Learn more about our ownERP based on Odoo.
Myths about Open Source
Let's shed a little light on this...
The use of open source software is not yet as widely accepted in Germany as perhaps in other countries. Although this has already improved significantly in recent years and the acceptance of users and decision-makers is increasing, prejudices are often harbored.
When it comes to open source software (OSS), there are many different sources of information. Some of this information is reliable and trustworthy, while others can be somewhat misleading. Far too often you hear that open source software is only created by hobby programmers in dark basements as a leisure project or is insecure because the source code of open source software is freely available. So the fear of hackers is also growing.
Since open source is still met with criticism, you can well understand that the topic of OSS can be a bit confusing and you can't be sure that open source is right for your company. Let's now shed some light and debunk some of these myths.
Myth 1: Open source is not secure
The truth about security in any kind of software, open source or not, is that security can be either good or bad depending on how it is developed. Open source can be more secure than proprietary software. Open source benefits from a community interested in its development. The project sponsors draw on a broader knowledge base, all of which is invested in the quality and overall security of the project. When it comes to security, having data always protected is a priority, and since the source code is freely distributed, anyone can work to protect it.
Myth 2: Open source costs nothing
It is a misconception that open source is free in any case. First of all, open source is free because the source code can be copied, viewed and modified. It is usually the case that basic applications are free for users. However, special modifications outside of these basic functions are sold as paid licenses.
Myth 3: Open source is a legal, licensing and copyright nightmare
Myth 4: There is no support for open source
When you think about this misconception in the context of the size of the open source community (spoiler alert: it's a global movement), it's hard to figure out where it came from. Support for open source software works differently than what we expect from other types of technical support for commercial software.
In fact, open source programs give you more opportunities for support, as help can come from anywhere in the world. The best way to describe open source technical support would be "The world is a village..." as developers provide helpto each other.
Myth 5: Open source is not enterprise software
What exactly is enterprise software? A simple definition of an enterprise software is a stable product that meets the needs and requirements of a large enterprise.
Open source's license dictates how your organization uses the software, and enterprise-friendly toolsets like Javascript, SQL, and so on are common with open source projects. Likewise, scalability is easy to achieve with open source projects.
Contact us without any obligation.
We are happy to advise you on your individual open source solution