Most computer programs go to great extents to protect their proprietary coding. It’s easy to understand why companies like Microsoft, Adobe and Apple would want to keep its program codes secret: they spend a lot of money developing the software, so they want to make sure that they generate a good return on their investments. Why, then, does open source software remain such a popular option among serious computer users?
The Advantage of Open Source Software
Big software companies might spend a lot of time making programs that consumers will want to purchase, but they cannot make software that will fulfill every single user’s desires. It’s an impossible task. Sure, companies can build successful programs that meet the needs of most users. There will always be a few, though, who point to small problems and claim that they could have designed it better.
Open source software essentially says, “oh, yeah. Go ahead!â€
Open source software means that anyone can access the program’s code. Every line is available. This makes it possible for users to tweak their software to conform to their own specific needs. If you don’t like where the program designers placed the “print†button, then you can move it wherever you want. If you think that the designers should have developed a networking solution better, then you are free to do it yourself.
The real advantage of open source software is that it allows individuals to move the coding forward one step at a time. When Microsoft releases a program, only they have the ability to make changes. That’s a rather clunky way to run things in a technological world that is used to instant customization. As people make changes to open source software, the programs evolves into something new. Even minor tweaks take their toll. In the end, you have the result of a massive collaborative effort that would cost a private company millions of dollars to build.