Open source software – saving or stifling technology?

impacting business positively?

The concerns that come with the use of open source software should be great for today’s workplace. Although it has been made clear that open source software will provide any business with easy to use programs that can be customized based on the needs it might have, there are still some concerns over how it can be run.

It may be easy to use this kind of software without having to go overboard on the budget just to use it but the hidden costs might be problematic. There are even issues over how this kind of software could cost jobs in some cases. The risks that are present with this kind of program must be observed before trying to get this kind of system ready for business use.

Cost Points

It is true that open source software is more affordable than other options. For instance, the open source Red Hat Enterprise server software program with support for up to four sockets for one year can cost about $2,500. This is less than half the cost associated with getting another company’s program for a full year.

While this price might sound like a useful feature, there is always going to be the concern about how a business would end up having to pay extra over a period of time. This can come from the cost of having to hire people who are actually capable of adjusting open source software to fit a business’ needs.

The biggest problem here is that a business might end up losing money off of having to hire so many people to work on this program. This is especially a concern when the program is not engineered right the first time. The need to keep on adjusting a program until it can be right is always going to be a concern to some.

Will It Take Away Jobs?

There are also worries that some jobs might be lost in the process of using open source software. This is particularly due to the lack of any support staff members or at least a smaller than usual support staff. This is a risk that often makes it harder for businesses to staff enough people for certain tasks. It makes the troubleshooting process harder to utilize.

Much of why open source software can take away jobs comes from the self-help nature of the tech support process. Anyone is allowed to adjust open source software and can even share the changes made with each other online. This makes the need to hire a tech support staff unnecessary but at the same time it also takes away some of the technical expertise that a business needs in order to survive.

The lack of a centralized tech support staff can be problematic. While the general public may be useful for helping people out, there are always going to be issues coming with trying to get certain jobs to be a little more active.

In addition, not every single problem that does arise will have a solution as some problems might be ones that people who use the program have never experienced before. Experimentation might be required just to fix these problems, thus adding to the challenge that comes with trying to keep things ready.

In short, there is a serious risk that open source software might harm jobs in the long run. It only makes it harder for people to get dedicated help especially considering how unreliable the public might be when trying to get certain issues with open source software resolved. Just because the source code is always open doesn’t mean that certain problems will be easy to fix.

Security is Always a Risk

One of the greatest problems that can come with open source software is the lack of security to keep a program active. Security is available in that the source code can be adjusted in the event that an error is found. Also, the many different firewalls and other items that can be used to protect a site can be adjusted by the people who operate a certain copy of a program. Still, this does not mean that a program like this is not going to be at risk of an attack.

The fact is that everyone has access to the source code and anything that is open and unpatched can be extremely vulnerable. It only takes a few moments to get one single error or other problematic message out to a system. This message could harm an entire operating system if it is not corralled appropriately.

Naturally, there is also the concern about the lack of updates at a given time. There might be a case where a user won’t get updates to a program due to the lack of a central authority that can keep track of security updates. Therefore, the user is on one’s own at this point when trying to find ways to fix a program.

Compatibility Issues

There are serious issues relating to how some programs might not be compatible with some operating systems. This is especially the case with operating systems that can be installed onto a computer. These new operating systems are made with completely different codes that might not take in outside programs. This is in spite of so many open source operating systems being designed to look very similar to some brand-name systems.

There are all sorts of open source operating systems that can be added to a computer including Linux, OpenBSD and House to name a few. The big advantage of open source software like this is that it can be made without restrictions to different programs. However, open source operating systems may be very different in that they might have source codes that make it harder for certain functions to be utilized.

Although open source software might be effective, there are still too many issues for today’s businesses to consider. This software is not necessarily going to be less expensive nor will it be safer or easier to utilize. The problems that come with this type of software are real and they have to be realized in order to get an idea of how to keep a business afloat.

Mani Masood

A seasoned professional in IT, Cybersecurity, and Applied AI, with a distinguished career spanning over 20+ years. Mr. Masood is highly regarded for his contributions to the field, holding esteemed affiliations with notable organizations such as the New York Academy of Sciences and the IEEE – Computer and Information Theory Society. His career and contributions underscores his commitment to advancing research and development in technology.

Mani Masood

A seasoned professional in IT, Cybersecurity, and Applied AI, with a distinguished career spanning...