Open Source vs. Proprietary

Q. What is open source software and should I use it?
A. Open source is free software and YES you should use it or at least give it a try.

Most people think of open source as the bastard child of paid software. In reality it is not. Sometimes it is the other way around. The good open source software is developed and supported continuously and is very competitive with proprietary software.

So, why is it free? It must cost something to make it, right? Yes, it takes a lot of effort to develop and support a good program so please give thanks to those who put the time into it. A lot of the people who use open source software support and continue to improve it.

Why do we still use proprietary software when we can get the same results for free? I think most of us are just used to it. When you become familiar with something it is generally easier to keep using it than starting over with another product. I’m not saying you should stop using the paid software. There are a lot of great programs out there. I am only saying that you have options.

If you are feeling a bit courageous and want to step out of your comfort zone I suggest you look into some of the open source alternatives.

Here are a few links to check out:

• Ubuntu – http://ubuntu.com
• Fedora – http://fedoraproject.org/
• Open Source as Alternative – http://www.osalt.com/
• Open Source Windows – http://opensourcewindows.org/
• Open Source Initiative – http://www.opensource.org/

This website was built almost entirely from open source software.

What are your thoughts about open source? Do you have an open source software choice that you recommend? Please feel free to comment below.