Monday – Saturday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
(07) 5461 3634
Book A Free Strategy Call
Back To Glossary

Open Source

Definition

What is open source?

As the name suggests, the term ‘open source’ means a piece of software’s source code is available for free to the public. Anyone from anywhere in the world can use, study, modify and redistribute said code without risk of any legal or financial repercussions.

If you want a more in-depth understanding of this topic, check out the FAQ section below:

Question #1: What are the benefits of open source software?

The biggest benefits of open source software are as follows:

  1. Transparency and security – The entire code of open source software are visible to everyone, so it is virtually impossible to hide malicious code.
  2. Flexibility – You can easily modify a piece of open-source software—or browse through versions that are already available in the market—to better suit your needs.
  3. Availability and sustainability – Once the code for it has already been published on a platform such as GitHub, it becomes available for anyone to use and modify indefinitely. This means there are absolutely no expiring licenses or contracts for you to worry about.
  4. Cost-savings – As we have seen earlier, virtually all open source software is 100% free for anyone to use, study, modify, and redistribute.

Question #2: What are the disadvantages of this kind of software?

The biggest disadvantages of open source software are as follows:

  1. Inconsistent support availability – If you end up using a non-mainstream piece of open source software, you may end up having to deal with issues such as lack of regular updates and readily available assistance. This means you would need technical knowledge or access to someone who has the technical knowledge to fully maximise the software, which, in turn, may disrupt your operations and lead to massive losses.
  2. Compatibility issues – Not all commercial software plays well with open-source ones. This means your workflow might be negatively affected if you normally jump from one app to another.
  3. Need for technical knowledge – Not all pieces of open source software are beginner-friendly. Some require a bit of technical knowledge to use, so if you do not have it, it might be better for you to just use a more mainstream alternative.

Question #3: What is the difference between open source software and freeware?

The main differences between the two can be divided into two main categories:

Source code access – As we have seen earlier, the source code is made available to everyone. In contrast, freeware, while 100% free, makes the source code neither available nor editable. 

Cost –  While most of it is free, there are some that charge users a fee. In contrast, freeware is always free, hence the name.

Keep in mind, however, that these days, more and more supposedly ‘free’ apps are not actually free in the sense that the free version you get is so crippled, it is practically useless. They are set up in a way that forces you to pay if you want to get anything meaningful done.

Question #4: Should I use this kind of software?

To determine if you should use open source software, you will need to ask yourself four simple questions:

  1. Are there good options available? If no available open-source software allows you to do what you want (or need) to do, then you would be better off investing in a paid alternative that you know can get the job done.
  2. Will using this software negatively affect the work you do in any way? Will it, for example, cause compatibility issues because everyone else you work with uses the same industry-standard app? If using open source software will result in no one being willing to work with you or you having to find converters and wasting time converting everything to something that works with mainstream apps, then it would be better for you to just invest in a paid mainstream app.
  3. Do you have the necessary technical skills? Linux, for example, is a bit more challenging to use for casual users than Windows and MacOS. If you do not have the skills—and the time and/or willingness to acquire them)—then it is better to just go with a paid alternative.
  4. Do you have money to spare? In most cases, if you had the budget for it, it is much simpler to just go with paid software. Not only will it ensure that everything is ready to use right out of the box, but it will also most likely give you access to a dedicated support team that will take care of any technical issues for you, eliminating the need for you to waste time troubleshooting yourself.