Closed or Open Source

[toastywombel]

For what it's worth, much of the software I use at work (and I'm not just talking about Office/productivity software) is only available for Windows.

 

For example, you're not going to find a Linux version of something like this:

 

http://www.elecard.com/products/products-pc/consumer/streameye-tools/

 

So you might add "professionals" to your list there...

 

I probably should of but you could add professionals to any of the operating systems. Professional is a broad concept. Windows appeals most to the casual user that was the point I was trying to make.

 

And actually elecard is in the process of developing their software to work on mac and linux platforms. So you will not find a linux version yet.

[bascule]

I probably should of but you could add professionals to any of the operating systems. Professional is a broad concept. Windows appeals most to the casual user that was the point I was trying to make.

 

There's just not a lot of professional desktop software for Linux. Period.

[iNow]

There's just not a lot of professional desktop software for Linux. Period.

 

Thank Thor, too. You'd be surprised just how many people I work with who freak out when they see Excel. Really? You can't handle Excel? Okay... It's a good thing you can't touch the OS, and that we're not dealing with Linux.

[toastywombel]

There's just not a lot of professional desktop software for Linux. Period.

 

True, not a lot compared to windows. I feel as if you are a little hostile though, we are just talking about OS'.

[Guest alanhuttan]

 

The biggest burning question when choosing software: free or not free? Both classes of software have major advantages and disadvantages. The two have a long and winding relationship dating back over twenty years. A good place to start is defining how they differ....

 

Open source means there are a lot of people working on the software. Plenty of individuals are making sure the code is solid and that the software is easy to use. Documentation is usually easy to find, and there are plenty of people out there writing “how-tos,” which make design and development easier and even fun. You can count on regular updates that are continually improving the product. Open source systems let you see what makes the software tick, and you can often change it to suit your needs. Use this to your advantage when it comes to differentiating yourself from the rest of the pack.However, because of the popularity of open source systems, many people are familiar with open source code, which creates a higher risk for hacking. If you choose to design in an open source system, your development team is going to need to put time and work into preventing third-party tampering. This difficulty will scale based on many factors such as how many people need to have access to sensitive areas of the site (like the admin panel).

 

Closed source software usually equates to better security and support. For an eCommerce site, it isn’t necessarily more secure to go with a closed source system, but unlike open source systems, developers don’t have to spend as much time securing code. If a developer runs into any issues in a closed source software, providers are more than happy to offer you support. This is a convenience, because it cuts down on the development time and cost.Unfortunately with closed source, the barrier to entry is a lot higher. A smaller community means less experience and collective knowledge. This usually equates with much higher costs across the board. You often have to pay for the software or service, and if your support package doesn't include it, you end up having to pay someone else for their expertise.You know in college many computer science students have written dissertation on open source and its important in society today . Once you read that thesis you will get more idea about Opensource and its security.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[edwardreed]

Hello Alan, you did a great reply. I could understand about Closed and open Source software. Thank you for your great post.!!

[khaled]

I suggest Open Source and Linux (prefer Ubuntu), although personally I have a macbook pro ...

 

Mac OSX price is 129$, Mac OSX Lion only costs 29$ .. and I bought it lately, I agree that I bought a macbook for a reason,

otherwise I suggest getting ubuntu, I've ubuntu on my macbook, and I am an open source contributor too ...

 

If you make your software an open source, I can assure you that all academic and researchers around the world will use, develop, test and write researches on your software .. moreover an open source community such as ubuntu community, will help you test, develop, and publish your software,

 

Khaled Khunaifer, A Computer Scientist

Blog: http://sites.google.com/site/khaledkhunaifer