What is open source?
Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process.
The promise of open source is better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in.
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit corporation formed to educate about and advocate for the benefits of open source and to build bridges among different constituencies in the open-source community. One of their most important activities is as a standards body, maintaining the Open Source Definition for the good of the community. The Open Source Initiative Approved License trademark and program creates a nexus of trust around which developers, users, corporations and governments can organize open-source cooperation.
The benefits of open source?
Cost: Open Source software available under the GNU GPL license is free. In some cases, you may choose to pay for the distribution (compiled version that contains installable executable software on CD ROM). The cost of the distribution is generally trivial compared to the cost of many enterprise level commercial offerings. In addition, the developers of many of the open source solutions offer support contracts that are suitable to all levels of business or organization.
Software Source Code: When you purchase a license to use most commercial software, you are dependent on the software designer to add features or customize the software for the needs of your business or organization. The software manufacturer provides you with only the executable program. You do not have access to the source code. With open source software, you are free to modify the software and customize it in order to suit your application.It is therefor more easily adjusted to the user’s requirements. The fact that the code is open means that it is always possible to modify the software to suit existing systems, tools, platforms, databases, etc.
Scalability and Robustness: a large community of highly skilled software developers has created open source solutions, such as Linux, Perl, and Apache. Open source UNIX based operating systems such as Linux and FreeBSD are extremely robust and efficient.
Large Support Community: a large community of developers that communicate through on-line discussion groups supports many open source offerings. This allows common problems to be easily solved and bugs to be quickly exposed and fixed. No reinventing the wheel, problems are documented and fixed, efforts can then be used to improve the software further.
Security and Protection of Proprietary Data: There is a myth that open source software is more vulnerable to attack than proprietary solutions. Actually, the opposite is often true. Because the source code is exposed, it is often easier for a security minded software community to close security holes or breeches.
Some of our favorite open source applications include: Wordpress, modx and PHPList
Wordpress is one of the most popular CMS available and it gained its popularity for a reason - it’s a great blogging engine and can act like a CMS (and it’s free)!
Modx is extremely powerfull and easy to manage CMS that obeys web standards beautifully.
phplist is an open-source mailing list manager, it is a one-way email announcement delivery system with automated subscription management, commonly used for newsletters, publicity lists, notifications, etc.
