Introduction
While you are reading this article on your PC, laptop, Android, or Apple phone, you might not be aware of something that led to this technological revolution. Something which made technologies like the internet and handheld devices a possibility. It is open-source software and a large community behind it which makes many of these everyday technologies possible. As popular examples, Windows and Apple are called proprietary software, and Android and Linux are open-source software. While the former companies are widely used and well-known in the professional world, open-source solutions are working behind the scenes.
They are the building blocks of software development which provide knowledge to younger programmers and software architects by making knowledge open to all. The IT industry is forever indebted to open-source software and the community of developers for their opportunity to learn and contribute respectively. Regardless of your profession, you will have benefited from open-source software or hardware solutions at some point in your life. In this article, we will discuss how the IT industry has benefited from open-source software and hardware solutions.
What is open-source software?
Open source means developers can view, modify, and share the source code of software, hardware product, or projects. Here, anyone can design, develop, and modify the source code on their own to enhance the software or to adapt it to their specific necessities. In this way, such projects concentrate the talent pool for a particular project. Here, community-oriented development is the key, coupled with transparent documentation and rapid prototyping.
The difference between open-source and proprietary software
To start with, proprietary software is designed and developed by one individual, team, or organisation for commercial use. This software is exclusively controlled by them, and others are not allowed to view, alter, or enhance the software source code. Indeed, a user must agree to the terms of service or a licence which restricts them from indulging in any of these development-related programs or even reverse engineering. Simply put, it is patented and nobody has permission to access, alter the source code or build upon it without exclusive permission. As a result, such software is closed to general developers and programmers. The same can be applied to hardware solutions as well. Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop are some examples of proprietary software.
On the other hand, open-source software is open and available to the public. Their original authors make their source code available to their users to view and modify their software source code. Anyone can inspect, modify, and maintain the software for additional enhancements. LibreOffice and GIMP are some examples of software.
The advantages of open-source software
1. It is flexible.
Most proprietary software is closed to public domain developers. They can't access, maintain, or develop the source code. This can hinder growth when someone wants to develop the software further for their specific needs. This is not the case with open-source software. They have publicly accessible source code. Any developer can access it, and, with their expertise, make it better. Operating systems like Linux offer higher flexibility, safety, and agility to developers and users, unlike Windows or Mac.
As there are many ways to solve a problem, open-source software provides the opportunity to develop on multiple fronts across different individuals or teams. As a result, a problem gets tackled on multiple fronts. Moreover, the communication between open source developers through internet forums makes it easier for others to understand what all the developers are already working on the platform. Software documentation also helps new developers to maintain a checklist of what is already tried and tested.
2. It is free.
In most cases, the software is free to use for the general public. This nullifies the costs involved in software installation, licensing, and maintenance. As a result, computer literacy is propagated through the cost-effectiveness of open-source software. For small businesses and large businesses alike, open-source software saves money and time in procuring licences. Above all, as open-source software is maintained by elite teams contributing together, the enhancement of the software gets easier.
As a result, the software tends to be sophisticated and cost-effective at the same time without compromising on quality. For example, the vector illustrator software from Adobe, that is, Adobe Illustrator costs around $20.99 per month. Its open-source alternative, InkScape, is free of charge and as sophisticated as Adobe Illustrator itself.
3. Open-source software is of high quality.
The other benefit of open-source software is that it is of high quality. The reason why open-source software tends to be above average is that anyone who writes code for an open-source project will know beforehand that a group of experts will always be there to review the code. As the software, its functions, and source code are visible to everyone, they can be critiqued by the community. As a result, the collaborative nature of software development is readily competitive and transparent.
The other reason is the nature of open-source software. It is driven by the desire of individuals to create excellent, high-quality software for public use. The value drives individuals and teams to perform at their peak excellence and results in high-standard software. All of these can provide a foundational framework for the information technology industry. New projects don't have to start from scratch but can have a large part of the work already available for their use through an OSS. This is known as "Standing on the shoulders of a giant."
Related Blog - The Future of Information Technology
4. OSS is synonymous with Speed
In the information technology industry, speed is a decisive factor in succeeding. Even microsecond differences can have a significant impact on software efficiency. The ability to deliver projects and software at a competitive time creates massive opportunities for those looking for them. In such situations, wasting time on creating software from scratch or negotiating terms with proprietary software management pushes companies and innovators to the end of the line. You can take the problem head-on by using open-source software. You can see if the current software and its source code can solve the problem.
If not, you can easily hire a team and ask the community for help and create a software solution within a certain period instead of wasting your time on signing contracts, terms, and conditions with a proprietary software company. This is what Google did in 2015. It simply open-sourced its artificial intelligence engine, TensorFlow which was a core part of its business. With the contributions of over 1,300 developers outside the company, TensorFlow has become one of the standard frameworks for developing AI applications, which could bolster Google's cloud-hosted AI services (Source: Wikipedia).
In this highly competitive world, a head start can get you far ahead of others. Even after starting, you can always scale your software according to your needs rather than negotiating them again with management in case you started with proprietary software. With so much flexibility, background support, industry expertise, and a talented team, you can survive in the IT industry. With the headaches of licensing, negotiating, and contracting behind you, you can lead without any worries.
5. It is more secure
As the name implies, open-source means providing the source code, i.e., the foundational code of the software, to the public for them to innovate and test with, thus challenging them to complete, contribute, and create. This makes OSS more secure than proprietary software. For example, Drupal, an OSS, is hailed as the most secure CMS in the world (Source: Srijan) Unlike proprietary software, open source software is often years, if not decades, old and is constantly being reviewed for vulnerabilities by experts from around the world. The proprietary software, on the other hand, is protected from the public eye and only a limited number of experts are allowed to read and modify the source code of the software. This leaves room for error if the team is not actively looking for vulnerabilities in the software, especially in the ever-advancing world of dark hat hacking and offensive cyberwarfare from the States. Unlike open source, proprietary software has a limited number of guardians that look for vulnerabilities and make them a prime target for attack.
Related Blog - Effective E-commerce Strategies for Small Businesses
6. The massive talent pool in the community
Open-source developers are a community united under a mission. Open source is popular among younger generation talents due to its intention, affordability, and extensive online support structure. Young individuals use and get acquainted with open source during their early learning in the IT industry. This makes them effective on those platforms. This is where the original talent pool is located and possibly stays forever. For example, Kali Linux is the chief operating system dedicated to cybersecurity (Source: Makeuseof). Any young cybersecurity expert is more likely to stay on this open-source platform than on other proprietary software.
Due to all these points, the open-source user base is far more efficient and adaptable than that of proprietary software. Hence, if you decide to use open-source systems for your business, then you need not worry about talent shortages anymore. For an open-source project, you can easily find talent ranging from junior to expert coders. Along with that, the ability to contribute to society and the community through work attracts talent and provides strong bonding opportunities for employees with their jobs. As a result, even retention rates can soar in your company. The need to be able to work for the greater good of society and thus live a meaningful life is a massive influence for most employees these days.
7. It has low maintenance and production costs.
Companies and teams are always looking for cost-reduction and high-quality solutions for their projects. This, however, is rarely a reality. High-quality services require high costs, and any tampering with costs will result in low-quality products and subsequently unnecessary expenses down the line. As was mentioned earlier, proprietary software is quite expensive and a company that needs software consistently for running ends up investing heavily in software. When software charges make up a large portion of your investment, it leaves a void in other critical areas of your business like a team, infrastructure, and management. Those innovative entrepreneurs who just want to take the first step in their business might not be well placed to afford this cost buildup, especially if we take into account that a majority of startups are funded through their founder's pockets and savings. As a result, this burden can make startup dreamers reluctant to even start.
This is where open source holds your hand. Practically every proprietary piece of software has an open-source alternative. The internet, GPS, Android, Linux, etc. are all examples of the practicality of open source. What's more, open source has a loyal and selfless community that is driven by the intent of making knowledge available to every last person on earth through technology. This mindset brings a talent pool unlike any other in the world together. Granted, some software does not meet the industry standards of proprietary software, but for a startup or a company operating with a limited budget, open source and its talent pool are more than enough.
While this is practical for the above-mentioned companies, proprietary software giants like Microsoft themselves invest heavily in the development of open source. Though counterintuitive, these silicon valley giants understand the efficiency of the open source community and strive to build our strength by making it more efficient through their talent pool. If companies need to write a larger project, they don't have to write the entire code for themselves. If produced under the open source licence, the project moves more efficiently through the input of several state-of-the-art coders than a small team of experts. This exponentially reduces the cost of production and operation for most companies.
8. Open-source software has extensive applications
Open source is the future. Most applications, from the web to mobile and PC to cloud, use open source at some point during their development. Even the manufacturing industry extensively uses open-source hardware solutions. Microcontrollers like Arduino and Raspberry boards are the foundational blocks of hundreds of applications in agriculture, drones, robotics, and sensor-based hardware systems. Several startups have emerged based on these platforms for innovative systems in their production lines. While these are some of the basic applications of hardware systems, there are several complex open-source hardware and software systems available for users on the internet.
While many sectors are dominated by proprietary software and hardware, open source has solutions and alternatives that work on par with the industry standard in many cases. To state it boldly, some supercritical fields like cybersecurity and analytics function way better on open-source applications than on proprietary software or hardware. The applications of Android in the modern world can be a perfect example of this. From mobiles and tablets to cloud solutions, Android is the foundation stone of billions of systems and user experiences across the world. The future will only be more open source.
Related Blog - Strategies for Enhancing Your Network Speed and Efficiency: A Comprehensive Guide
Conclusion
Open-source software and hardware are the go-to technological solutions of the future. Most of the industry's critical software and hardware is already built on open source. It is not to state that open source is the reason why it has become what it is today. It is flexible, free, and of high quality. It is also faster, more secure, and has a dedicated community that takes care of its own. If you choose OSS, you can save on maintenance and production costs and find several applications now and in the future that can change the way you work in the industry. Due to all these factors, it is the go-to solution for startups, industry trendsetters, and businesses that are operating on a lower budget. It can increase retention if the team is well-versed in the platform and has the intention of serving society through the work they are doing. This way, they give another level of meaning to their work and boost employee satisfaction.
Finally, if you are a professional with managerial experience, you can easily apply for SNATIKA's UK Professional Diploma program in Information Technology. With British-certified education and global recognition coupled with industry-standard education, you can become a rare gem in your industry and become a better, stronger industry authority over time. Check out our program here.