Open Source Software - Problems with Open Source

Problems and Misconceptions of Open Source

While Open Source software offers many benefits, many people are concerned about its viability. Most specifically, software vendors are very worried about the loss of revenue from sales. Other concerns include software ownership, developer recognition, lack of competition and the quality and reliability of Open Source software. Some of these concerns are valid, while others are unfounded.

Making Money from Free Software

First off is the fear of lack of revenue, as most other concerns are either related to this, or can use the answer as a source of revenue. One important thing to note is that most of the solutions to potential losses of revenue have to do with setting up a 3rd party to collect funding and distribute that back to the developer. In most cases, the money is generated by selling convenience in various forms. While other business models are sure to develop, it's important to note that these solutions are not just theories, they are actual practices used today by many profitable companies.

The most obvious way to make money with Open Source is the sell the software. This is something that is allowed under all Open Source licenses provided the source is available for free as well. Why would one buy software when they could also download it for free? To support the author for one. Selling a bundle of similar programs that form a cohesive set, often combined with service and support contracts is another widely used technique (Stallman 1992). Good will is also quite prevalent in the Open Source community. I would suggest that the same people who would fail to support Open Source pirate software now.

Generating revenue by guaranteeing the proper functioning of free software could also be a viable option, as software liability and reliability are becoming an important issue in today's technology-dependant world. (Nissenbaum 1999).

Finally, treating software development as a byproduct of business can ensure the continued evolution of software. As was mentioned in the history section, until 15 years ago, software was often considered by hardware manufacturers to be a cost of doing business. This is happening again today as companies often sponsor Open Source development as a part of their business plan. Companies using Open Source software will fund portions of development that are key to their business success. This in turn benefits all users, ensuring a continuing evolution of the system. This is presently happening in several related industries, from book publishers, to hardware vendors, funding for Open Source efforts comes from many different sectors.

Other Concerns with Open Source Development

There are other concerns with Open Source beyond simply making money. For instance, what to do if another developer claims the work of another to be theirs? First off, while Open Source does give users and developers more rights, the works are still under a copyright. Legal action is possible Similarly, there has been at least one case where an Open Source application was compiled and sold while denying that the program was in fact Open Source. In this case a lawsuit was issued and the offending files were removed.

Developer recognition is also a concern. There are worries that because everyone is essentially equal under Open Source development good developers will be overlooked, and lose interest. In fact, quite the opposite occurs. Because the development process is open, everyone concerned knows exactly who is doing what and developer pride is often heightened. I have personally seen much admiration and appreciation of developers of even relatively minor projects. Open Source development is very collaborative, instilling a strong sense of community. This community actively participates and encourages one another.

The concern of lack of competition under Open Source is another non-issue. Again, open development tends to spurs competition on several levels. Within a single project the technical challenges typically keep the various members intrigued and focused. They will constantly try to best their counterparts in a friendly rivalry. This also occurs between projects. Again, the rivalry is mostly friendly, but competition is certainly fierce. Usually when a radically new project is proposed, several groups will form each tackling the problem from a slightly different angle. Again, as everything is Open Source, good ideas are often integrated into the rival project. The end result is a blinding pace of progress while effectively maintaining code quality and robustness. An excellent example of this rivalry can be seen between rival Unix desktop environments GNOME and KDE.

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