Over the years, open source software has become crucial to the running of many businesses around the world. Many businesses prefer the use of proprietary software because they know that the software packages are perfect for their business. However, many other businesses prefer the option of open source software and hardware because they can alter it to their needs. There are many advantages to using open source software and below we’ll have a look at some of the most beneficial reasons why many businesses prefer open source software.
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1. High-Quality Software
Although proprietary software is developed to high standards, open source software gives its consumers that little bit more quality. Why? Open source software allows anyone to access the code, and that means many other professional developers around the world have had their say on what should be changed to make the development of the software as high-quality as possible. Proprietary software generally has a handful of developers working on it and, because the backend development isn’t visually available, no one other than the original developers will know whether it was developed to the highest of standards.
2. Free Licensing
One of the biggest benefits of using open source software is that you’ll have access to free licensing. This means you’ll not have to worry about any licensing conflicts or need to worry about installing it on several devices. After all, everyone now has access to the backend, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t install it on multiple devices for testing/development purposes. You can literally do with the software as you please, just as long you don’t sell it on as your own product (and even then, some open source software licenses don’t prevent this).
3. Flexibility
As stated above, you can literally do with the software as you please. The developers of open source software actually promote you to develop the software further, just to ensure it’s the perfect product for you as an individual or as a business. They will often develop the software in such a way that you can easily add a few lines of code in to make it more flexible.
4. Better Abundant Support
Many open source software developers offer free support to some extent, and many others also provide different levels of support for a small fee. However, what’s great about open source software is that many other developers and businesses around the world have likely used the software you’re interested in. This means that thanks to the many development communities available online, you’ll easily be able to seek one on one support from development professionals should you ever run into any problems.
5. Integrate Software with Ease
Another highlight of open source software: you can easily integrate it with the other software packages you already own. It makes scaling and flexibility that little bit easier and, when it comes to efficiency, you’ll have a piece of software in place that can communicate with your employees with ease. Depending on the software products you’re interested in will depend on how the integration process takes place. However, you can be sure it’s going to be an effortless process thanks to the developers that have kept this exact process in mind.
The benefits of taking advantage of open source hardware and software are pretty much endless. Not only do you get high-quality products that are developed to perfection, but you also get flexibility, support, stress-free licensing, and a solution that’s free or much cheaper than the rest.
