What is Open Source? And why do we use it?

by Simon

Although the underlying principles of open source software have been around since the early '80s, it's only in the last several years that the model has burst into the public eye . Applications like OpenOffice, Apache, Firefox and above all the operating system Linux, have accelerated mainstream awareness of its everyday possibilities, though it's still perfectly fair to say that the majority of people have a shaky understanding of what 'open source' really means, and of its pros and cons, compared to software developed in the traditional proprietary framework. Let's figure it out.

Open source is often likened to the user-generated content of Web 2.0, that now ubiquitous term which is completely unavoidable in current online pop culture. Although the analogy runs out of gas beyond a certain point, it is useful for explaining the basics of open source software. Just as the internet in its formative years consisted primarily of 'read-only' content, integral information that users could access but not interact with, so too the old model for software development use to involve a core group of developers working behind closed doors to create an application's source code. Each application was then released as a stand-alone, finished product, and the software's internal composition remained the knowledge and sole property of the development company.

In recent years, another development paradigm has come along to challenge the conventional proprietary model. Where Web 2.0's user-generated content has put power back in the hands of the populace, with areas like blogging, social networking and file-sharing sites superseding what previously existed, open source software engages a developer community comprising any user with technical knowledge who chooses to contribute.

The source code for the application is made freely available to all users, large groups of whom often act as informal beta-testers, and they are encouraged to submit additions and fixes for the software. The development and subsequent evolution of open source applications is therefore a public, collaborative process. Type into Google the name of any of the leading open source applications in their field, and you will find forums, discussion boards and file-sharing web-pages absolutely heaving with questions, answers, solutions, codes, bug fixes, upgrades and advice, some of it submitted by the developments company but mostly generated by the complex network of users.

The key principles of open-source software are as follows:

• Source code must be made freely available by the developers.
• The software can be freely distributed (in the sense of without cost and without restriction) by any party.
• Any user may submit modifications and additions to the software.
• New code is integrated as frequently as possible to improve security and performance.
• The software is modular in its general structure, to increase flexibility in design.

Why do we use it?

To the uninitiated, the best thing about open source might seem to be the price tag. Or lack of. And while the fact that many open source applications are free to download is a nice bonus, that's all it really is.

We use open source software because it is bigger and better than proprietary software: more flexibility, better support, better security, better performance.

To use open source software is to enter a community of people from across the globe working collectively to maximise the depth and efficiency of the application. If I were to buy and install Microsoft Office, I would have access to a static product – any updates or bug fixes would be released if and when the development company, Microsoft, decided to release them. With OpenOffice, by contrast, patches and fixes are released online around the clock. I have on my hands an application with the potential for constant evolution and improvement.

This flexibility extends to interoperability and future-proof. With source code open for all to use, any obstacles preventing the sharing of data between programs are rapidly sidestepped. If the file formats are different, make the relevant modifications, and presto. Also, with each user controlling the source code to the software they use, there is no danger of some unforeseen event at the provider's end rendering the application unusable and the data inaccessible. Given the sudden collapse of even large companies recently, this is a valuable safeguard.

The result of source code transparency is a greater accountability and responsibility on the part of the development company. While companies that make proprietary software can release applications constricted by complex and flawed code, and then effectively wash their hands of the issue until the time comes to release an update, developers of open source remain integrally involved in the continuing improvements to their product. One recent study found that the average time between a weakness in the software being exploited by hackers and a patch being released to solve the problem was 12 hours for Mozilla Firefox (open source) and 23 days for Internet Explorer (proprietary). That's a pretty massive distinction.

One of the criticisms regularly levelled at open source by its detractors is that it generally lacks a decent support service. Microsoft products, for example, often come with handbooks service guarantees, whereas open source software is just a file download with no back-end support, critics argue. In practice, the support framework for open source is almost always deeper and more tailored than for its proprietary competitors. Because the source code is freely available, users are not reliant on the software authors for support.
Advice, support and solutions proliferate. Google 'Magento' (an open source ecommerce application we use) and see what you get. You might want to set aside a day or two, though.

To summarise, our clients have more freedom because we use open source software. We can tailor solutions to their specific needs with the knowledge that should the situation change, we can simply and securely modify the application in order to optimise its effectiveness. Open source is ultimately about enfranchising the user.