Open Source
Open Source Software is a big deal. At Thirdi, we are often in the position of comparing an open source technology with a proprietary solutions, to see which suits our client's needs. Almost always, the open source solution wins. Here's why:
Control
With proprietary software, there are restrictions on what you can and cannot do to extend it. Software vendors make a cushy living off of selling add-on "Services" on top of their platform. If you don't like what they are offering a year or two into the project, you have few options to take your business elsewhere. That can put you in the unfortunate position of having to abandon software that you have invested tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars into. Not a position we would want our clients to be in.
Open Source Software is just that: open. It is open to anyone who knows how to improve it. If you ever want to take your project elsewhere, there will be plenty of trained professionals who can pick it up and continue work.
Free
There aren't any licensing costs, which gives you more money in your budget to spend on the things that make your business unique. It also means that we can easily evaluate a variety of technical options without the distortion of demo licenses, and locked down previews of software.
Security
With open source software, you have thousands of other people looking for bugs and security holes in the code you are using. That makes finding and fixing problems far easier for each individual site. Even better: you can install the fix immediately, instead of waiting for a vendor to release a new version months later.
Community
Creating worthwhile software requires engineers to push boundaries and solve problems as they progress. What separates an on-time project and a delayed one is how quickly these problems can be resolved. Open Source Software has active communities of developers trying to solve the same problems. That means there are message boards and wikis filled with experienced specialists who can answer the tough questions when they arise. Getting help with proprietary software means crossing your fingers and hoping that the vendor's support staff has an easy answer to your problem.
We look at every project with a fresh set of eyes and try to determine what solution is most appropriate for the client's needs. While there are exceptional cases where proprietary software is required, we will work hard to make sure that we explore every open-source possibility first. If you'd like to know more about how we can make open source software work for your business, click here.
