The free software movement was initially launched in 1983. However, in 1998, a group of people advocated that the term “free software” to be replaced by “open source software (OSS). This expression is more comfortable and less ambiguous for the business world. Software developers can easily publish their software with an open source license, so that anyone can understand how it works and develop the same software.
Advantages of Open Source Software:
Low Cost
You do not need to purchase or renew any expensive software licenses. The service includes all needed software, thus you will not need any additional software.
Efficient Working
One of the best advantages of open source software is that it is virtually virus free. It also works well with lower configuration hardware. You will also not need to take any higher configuration hardware.
Reliability
Nearly all software releases contain bugs. When a bug is detected in the proprietary software, only the original developers can fix it, because they are the only ones who have complete access to the source code.
On the other hand, open source software is completely different. An extensive range of users can change and access the code. Generally, bugs tend to be more noticeable and rapidly corrected.
Other Benefits of Open Source Software
Translation
With an access to the source code, it becomes extremely easy to translate the language of the software interface. Huge closed source commercial software retailers are generally unwilling to convert their products into less extensively spoken languages, because the market for them would be quite small to guarantee revenues.
Customization
Closed source application can be adapted or customized only by the original vendor. On the other hand, open source applications can be customized by anyone having requisite skills.
Due to all these advantages, opting for open source software is a wise decision.
