Open source -- something publicly accessible and also openly modifiable. In the world of software development, open source can be a great thing. Content managers such as Drupal and OpenCms, and IDEs such as Eclipse and CodeLite, are among the endless amount of open source softwares available to us at the wonderful price of ‘free.’ So really, what difference does it make to users if they are not going to manipulate the software themselves? Well, there are benefits and drawbacks to both open source and closed source software. A couple turning points are:
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| Eclipse and NetBeans (open sources) |
Technical Support- There is a huge difference in this aspect. With open source softwares, there really is not a straight-forward or direct source for all your technical problems with the software. Since it is created by the public and each person does a little bit of their part to the community, it is difficult to hunt down the answer you’re looking for. With closed source softwares, these are made by companies, which have people to help you out or provide solutions for any possible troubles.
Creators- Open source is done by the community. This means the software may be tailored toward the individual more than if it were done by a company's desires. Open source is good in this sense because changes can be done faster, provided that a person of skill and knowledge is ready to fix issues. Whereas with closed source, changes may take months or years to happen because of the huge business process.
In the end, it is up to you to decide which one is better. Closed source software is my preference, mainly because of the ease I find in using it. The technical support and who created the software does play a role in my decision, but the design and user-friendliness also is a huge turning point. I like being able to find answers to my roadblocks quickly with direct answers. As to who creates my software, I'm not necessarily picky about, but to some, it may be a consideration. I find that user-friendliness and design play a role in my decision because it ultimately determines how my flow of coding will go. If it is difficult to access tools in the software, it will ruin my train of thought and only hold me back.
Source: OpenLogic. (2013, October 31). Seven reasons why closed source is better than open source, or so it seems.opensource.com. Retrieved March 1, 2014, from http://opensource.com/business/13/10/seven-reasons-closed-better-than-open-source
In the end, it is up to you to decide which one is better. Closed source software is my preference, mainly because of the ease I find in using it. The technical support and who created the software does play a role in my decision, but the design and user-friendliness also is a huge turning point. I like being able to find answers to my roadblocks quickly with direct answers. As to who creates my software, I'm not necessarily picky about, but to some, it may be a consideration. I find that user-friendliness and design play a role in my decision because it ultimately determines how my flow of coding will go. If it is difficult to access tools in the software, it will ruin my train of thought and only hold me back.
Source: OpenLogic. (2013, October 31). Seven reasons why closed source is better than open source, or so it seems.opensource.com. Retrieved March 1, 2014, from http://opensource.com/business/13/10/seven-reasons-closed-better-than-open-source
Hey Alexandra, nice post! Very interesting, you brought up something that is usually overlooked when it comes to open source, tech support. With open source software if you are having problems and things keep crashing, then you are pretty much on your own to find a solution. I'm curious, if most open source software had a robust community in which users would respond and answer inquires by the users, would you prefer open source over paid (closed) source software?
ReplyDeleteInteresting question, Carlos. It would depend on the interface and usability, but an open source software community that you describe sounds ideal. This scenario may even be more user friendly than a closed source software.
ReplyDeleteMost popular Open Source communities have decent community support(if not better in my opinion compared to other closed projects) and there is always Stackoverflow if needed. I know that the Ubuntu community in general is pretty helpful and has lots of informative threads. I do agree that a little bit more "self-motivation" is needed when dealing with Open Source because IT problems can be frustrating and the more structured approach of a closed software project can be easier to deal with if they have good tech support because not all companies do.
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