Open Source Software

Overview

Open source software is available free of charge. Users can use, change, modify, and redistribute programs. Programmers can also resell versions of existing programs. Software is developed through public collaboration rather than through companies. There are open source operating systems, word processing programs, graphics editors, and games. Linux is the most popular open source operating system. Once limited to tech savvy individuals and server administrators, Linux is becoming more popular with home users. With Linux, most software is available free of charge as an alternative to expensive programs. Many of these programs are also available to Windows or Mac OS users. The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is a popular image editor, Scribus is an open source desktop publishing program, and Open Office provides a free productivity suite for word processing, e-mail, and data analysis. There are even open source programs available for specialized tasks, like Quantum GIS, which performs Geographic Information Systems analyses.

Benefits

Open source programs are reliable. Even if there are defects, they can be fixed within a few hours. Most programs do not come with technical support options; instead, you must consult forums and guides. Even without a formal technical support process, you can quickly find solutions to your problems. Software is stable and can be used in a variety of industries. Software is ideal for businesses that do not have the resources to purchase additional licenses for their growing staff. Open source software is trustworthy since the code is published and can be easily accessed. Best of all, open source software is free. You can choose to provide donations or pay for training programs; however, you can use the software without any registration or user costs. You can save your home or business thousands of dollars by using open source software.

How It Works

Open source software is available to users and developers free of charge. People can use, alter, and redistribute open source software free of charge. Sometimes, companies like Sun Microsystems will develop open source programs. In other situations, open source programs are developed in a public setting by programmers. Programs are without copyrights or limitations, so it is legal to manipulate and redistribute this software. Distributors of open source software can raise money through other means. They can charge a fee for technical support and user training. For example, Ubuntu distributes its Linux operating system for free, but it charges for other services like educational courses and certifications. You can download and use open source software as you would any paid software.

Companies/Brands

Companies such as GNU Operating systems, Sun Microsystems, and Open Source Initiative provide open source software.