Valuable Features of Open Source Software

By Community Team

Open source software may not be big on monetization, but it is still considered highly valuable. What exactly makes it so? It’s certainly appealing because it’s free, but that’s not its only nor its most significant attraction. What truly makes it appealing are the features unique to it, which also happen to be what makes it so valuable. These are features that go beyond monetization, and often beyond the scope of proprietary software.

So what are these features?

  1. Freedom
    The “free” in “free and open source software” means more than just a lack of a price tag. Open source software offers users the freedom to use the software as they please. They can run the software anywhere be it on the cloud or in an on-site data center, for absolutely any purpose that serves them. They’re free to modify and adapt the software to their own specific requirements, and are also free in a sense that they are not locked to a particular vendor or that vendor’s system. For many users, this freedom alone is worth the switch from proprietary to open source.
  2. Innovation
    With the freedom that comes with open source comes the boundless freedom of the community to collaborate, innovate and diversify. This brings about software innovation at a speed, scale and diversity that no proprietary software could ever match. Communities are not only allowed but encouraged to expand and refine current open source software, making new, better and more precise software solutions.
  3. Integration
    Easy integration with existing infrastructure is a significant consideration when it comes to selecting software, and in this area open source software excels. Many enterprises agree that this feature often trumps low cost and even performance speed, because there’s no point in having the speed or spending less if the software can’t work with the tools that are already there.
  4. Continuity
    Open source software began as a disputed idea, and now it’s become the norm. It’s become the best option for enterprises seeking to keep up or stay ahead of their competition, and it continues to grow and improve. With the freedom to fork and develop open source projects to unique needs, there’s also some assurance that no matter what, the software you need will always be available to you. Being a relatively young movement open source still has a number of gaps to fill and challenges to overcome, but it is continuously evolving and is only growing in strength and scope.

Although being “free” or at a lower cost is a great incentive, those who know open source know that that is not what really makes open source software special and valuable. It is these four unique features that truly make it worthwhile and is what has allowed open source software to continue now and no doubt, into the future.

What other features have you found to be most valuable in open source software? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

One Response

  1. Jan Fibich says:

    I believe that one of the most important features of the Open programs is the possibility of sharing. Example: this is happening today, If there are two of us and each of us creates one unit of the Open program, we will exchange ourselves and each has two units, and when there is a billion of us ?. So the property of exchanging programs makes us incredibly wealthy people. Today’s technologies of 3d printing, cnc machines and robotics are increasingly restricting areas of consumer goods, small social groups focusing in small technology centers of basic technologies, are able to make more and more consumer goods . The world has no turning back, we have to share the produced goods, even with those who have put nothing in common welfare. Only our consciousness that hinders widespread sharing separates us from our prosperity.