Why Open Source?

There are many ways to see open source: as a choice of quality, a choice of price, or a choice of philosophy. For most people, choosing open source software is a combination of these factors.

Open Source Software provides a number of features in terms of quality and functionality directly through the development cycle. By allowing anyone to modify and improve the source code, it is possible to analyze the code for security and stability defects more openly, and add additonal features without being dependent upon a single entity for development.

Any developer who wishes to add a new feature or enhancement to an open source project is able to do so. This allows features needed only by a small group of people to become more available in the general population and thus usable by other groups without having to go through the expense of redevelopment.

Most, though not all, Open Source Software is available free of charge. Even those that are not typically have a lower cost and provide additional value with your license, such as support or configuration services. For this reason, it often makes economic sense to choose Open Source Software over proprietary software.

Some individuals simply believe in the Open Source Philosophy: that software should be free, just as any scientific research or development. While this reason may be powerful, it often takes a back seat to price and quality.