Are you new to open source? Check what we think that are the main advantages and disadvantages of using an open source software. Please note that very often it is only about an point of view - sometime the same aspect may be consider both con and pro. Also, not all open source project are same. What is true for one may not apply for another.
Open Source Pros
- much more flexibility; this is very useful when you want to do customizations or add new features - you are not dependent only on the software author, but you can proced on your own or find someone else to do the job for you
- faster developement; often the open source projects are backuped by a community of developers and supporters, who are contributing to the project and thus moving it forward
Open Source Cons
- easier to be compromised; as the sources are often available to anyone with no restrictions, in case there is an error in the source code, possible attackers may reveal it more easily and misuse it to compromise the system security
- less organized, unpredictable; this may differ significantly depending on whether a specific open source product is backuped by a company or well-organized group of developers or whether it is more like an free, volunteers-based project -- in the first case, there may be almost no difference compared to any commercial product, however, if it tends to be more like the second case, there may be lack of clear planning for bugfixes or new features and you may be forced to do some things on your own
Based on the reasoning above, please check our hints to choose the right open source.
