Open Source: opportunity or threat?
Open Source is open software that is developed through extended collaboration, available to anyone who wants to examine and modify the code. It represents an alternative to proprietary software, and is often preferred for greater development opportunities, especially in the areas of technical support and information security.
Open Source Software has enabled the implementation of the digital world, contributing significantly to the development of the Internet itself. Like all digital approaches, it presents opportunities and threats and, depending on business needs, can become a growth opportunity or a misstep.
Let us look together at some of the most important characteristics of Open Source Software.
Global collaboration
The openness of software allows free collaboration between developers located in different parts of the world. This work on a global scale, allows for the development of a final result with multiple skills and thus considerable development prospects.
Reduced costs
Proprietary software has significant licensing costs to bear. Using Open Source Software, on the other hand, significantly reduces these costs by enabling more economical management of the implementation of innovative solutions.
Faster solutions
When people talk about Open Source Software, they are referring to a widely used library. In most cases, the person who decides to work on this type of development is an experienced professional whose goal is to fix any vulnerabilities and who has the skills to do so effectively and quickly.
Increased security
The open nature of software allows developers to carefully examine the code in every detail, making it easier to detect and correct any vulnerabilities. Therefore, open source contributes to the overall security of the solution being created.
Risk of abandonment
Within an Open Source project, there is a person who carries out direction and control, called maintainer. The task is to control the development of the project and is the person to whom users can make reports and discuss the software, as well as do so on the many dedicated forums. The problem that can be encountered is the abandonment of the project by the maintainer, which is often followed by the end of the project. The more widespread and used an Open Source Software is, the more this risk is reduced, but it is a possible problem to consider.
Therefore, choosing whether to use Open Source software is a viable alternative with multiple advantages. At the same time, it has risks that must be evaluated according to one’s ability to overcome and manage.
Crucially, it is essential to know one’s business competencies and define specific goals to make Open Source a market opportunity, and not a threat to one’s development.
