COMPUTING AND SOCIETY
ASSIGNMENT 03
ASSIGNED BY
DR ABDULLAH KHAN
SUBMITTED BY SADIA
QUESTION:
ADVANTAGES OF OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE :
Open source software provides a wide range of capabilities at a low or free cost. Using an open source
solution frees up cash that may be used to support further initiatives like customization,
implementation, and upkeep. Open source choices offer a broad range of features, including ecommerce, blogs, portals, and wikis, and have been used and approved by a wide range of
organisations. Open source software is updated and altered on a regular basis. Open source
communities of web developers are continually altering code to satisfy the demands of its consumers.
Some other advantages are:
The programme is accessible for free and has less licence restrictions. There is a free open-source
software alternative for every type of premium software with equivalent functionality.
Without going through the corporate clearance procedure, bug patches may be done fast.
The programme might run on a variety of systems. Professional designers, for example, frequently
utilise Inkscape, a cross-platform, open-source alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
For security considerations, the programme may simply be audited. The fact that open source
applications are transparent by design is a significant plus in terms of security. Anyone with sufficient
technical knowledge can examine the source code and correct or report any potential security flaws.
Some open-source firms even provide bug bounty programmes in exchange for bug reports that help
improve the security of their products.
The open source community and ecosystem have undergone a qualitative transition. The majority of
today's open-source goods are developed by corporations. It's not uncommon for 90 percent of the
code in open source projects to be authored by the same people that work on commercial products. The
trend may be seen by looking at the top corporate GitHub contributors.
DISADVANTAGES:
Many firms may profit from open source software. It can, however, provide a number of substantial
difficulties, ranging from unforeseen expenses and steep learning curves to intricate compatibility
concerns.
The following are the primary drawbacks of open source software:
The level of complexity in using an open source programme - Some open source apps might be
challenging to set up and operate. Others may not have user-friendly interfaces or features that your
employees are used to. This can reduce productivity and make it difficult for your employees to adopt or
use programmes effectively.
Compatibility difficulties - To operate open source programmes, many types of proprietary hardware
require specialised drivers, which are typically only available from the equipment maker. This might
increase the price of your project. Even if an open source driver exists, it may not perform as well as the
proprietary driver with your software.
Liabilities and warranties - As part of a standard licence agreement, the developer usually provides
indemnification and warranty for proprietary software. This is due to the fact that they have complete
control and copyright over the product and its underlying code. In most cases, open source software
licences only provide a limited guarantee and no protection against liability or infringement
indemnification.
ADVANTAGES OF COMMERICAL SOFTWARE:
A commercial provider ensures one-on-one assistance. Because commercially generated software is
written and maintained by a firm with which you have a long-standing connection, you may rest assured
that it will work properly. Because many open source software packages don't come with a manual or
any documentation, implementing and maintaining an open source system, as opposed to a commercial
system, may necessitate a more skilled workforce. In general, open source software receives very
rudimentary support. One party's customizations are not tested with another party's customizations.
This leaves you with the task of thoroughly testing the entire solution.
The commercial source can be customised to your liking. we work with customers one-on-one to create
software that meets their unique needs. Custom functionality and one-of-a-kind design are included.
Open source software solutions frequently share features and may appear to be identical to other
products that use the same software. Differentiation may become more difficult as a result of this.
Additionally, while utilising open source, intellectual property rights may be questioned. As code gets
modified, the question of whether the open source code's integrity has been preserved emerges. If the
code deviates too much from the original, ownership may be called into doubt.
Hackers are significantly less likely to target commercial sources. Open source code is more acquainted
to the hacking community, and as a result, it can be hacked into more frequently and with more ease
than proprietary software.
DISADVANTAGES:
Commercial software has some possible downsides as well. The following are some of the potential
pitfalls:
There are no assurances that the programme will work as expected. When a solution is supported by a
corporate image, a QA team, and professional support, it's only fair to expect it to be high-performing
and secure. However, this isn't always the case.
Licensing regulations are very strict. Over a quarter of companies confess to over-licensing in order to
avoid software audits.
If the vendor decides to stop the programme, company owners will have to find a comparable solution.
Not only will switching to a new software solution take time and money, but it will also cause data
migration and integration challenges. It will almost certainly necessitate retraining.
Source code that is only available to a limited number of people. You won't be able to modify the source
code to meet your specific requirements. You must upgrade to a more costly plan if you want any more
features.
There's a chance you'll end up wasting a software licence. Except for software that is required for your
company's operations, there's a strong probability that the app will go unused.