Open Source Solutions

The basic idea behind open source is very simple: When programmers can read, redistribute, and modify the source code for a piece of software, the software evolves. People improve it, people adapt it, people fix bugs. And this can happen at a speed that, if one is used to the slow pace of conventional software development, seems astonishing.

Another core benefit of Open Source is how it is created. In the traditional closed source world where the code is only available to a limited set of developers working for the software manufacturer, the code gets seen by a limited set of people, and the same people see it over and over again. This can often result in the developers not seeing errors and as such, potentially overlooking problems. With closed sourced commercial software. there is an additional risk that the software is driven by the marketing department of the organisation and not necessarily driven by what consumers want. This is part of the reason why there is so much clutter in commercial software; the organisations need to keep adding features to encourage people to buy the product, even though you probably only use 30% of what is there.

In the Open source world, the availability of the code means that far more developers see it. This results in more eyes looking at the code all around the world and far more people spotting problems and bugs. The effect of more eyes on the code means that bugfixes are developed far more quickly. In contrast to the often multiple-month long delays for bug fixes in the closed sourced world, bugfix releases for Open Source software are often released within hours or days of the bug being spotted. With Open Source software being independent to a specific software company, you also get the benefit that the features added to the software are added because they are useful for the users.

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