If you’ve used a PC for a while, you may have come across the term ‘open-source software’. Indeed, many of the software programs and utilities we recommend here at Geek Squad are open source – but what does this actually mean?
‘Open-source software’ is typically made available for free – but that's not its defining feature.
More specifically, the term refers to computer programs where any user is free to view and modify the ‘source code’ – the written instructions that are 'compiled' to create a computer program.
It stands in opposition to ‘closed-source’ software: programs where the copyright holder maintains the exclusive legal right to study, modify and distribute the source code.
The two approaches differ fundamentally: closed-source projects make commercial sense for developers who want to make money from their software, while the open-source philosophy appeals to those concerned with making their work widely available and open to improvement, without a commercial angle.
The vast majority of commercially available software was closed-source, but in recent years that’s started to change: indeed, even the globally popular Android operating system is based on an open-source project. So, what are the big advantages?
The cost
For the end user – i.e., you and me – one of the major advantages of open-source software is the price: it’s usually free of cost.
Indeed, most open-source software licenses specify that users are free to modify the code in any way they like – but aren’t allowed to sell the resulting work commercially. As a result, there’s some fantastic and very well-developed software out there, entirely free of charge.
The operating systems Linux and Android, Mozilla’s Firefox browser and the Microsoft Office alternative LibreOffice are just a few examples of professional-quality open-source software that easily rival their commercial alternatives – and they won’t cost you a penny to use. Indeed, a 2008 report from the Standish Group, an IT research firm, suggested that open-source software delivered savings of about $60 billion per year to consumer!
And in this case, free doesn’t mean shoddy…
The quality
You get what you pay for, right? Well, not always.
You’d be forgiven for thinking a piece of software that's freely developed by volunteers might suffer in comparison to commercial software – but the open-source model challenges that assumption.
You see, software developers are funny breed. They’re like artists: some of them do want to make money out of their work, but just as many are happy to provide a useful service, sharpen their own skills and build up their reputations.
For that reason, some of the most talented developers in the world contribute to open-source projects. But that's not the only advantage they offer.
Because open-source projects are open to the world, it's potentially much easier for bugs, faults and security to be spotted and fixed – after all, anybody who's interested can dig through the source code and have a go. And when that update does come, it comes free of charge – and there's no guarantee of that with commercial software.
Some of the best
Finally, we'd like to highlight some of the best and most interesting open-source software projects out there at the moment.
We've already mentioned Android. Anybody is free to create their own modified version of Google's mobile operating system – and it's this freedom that's made it the OS of choice for countless device manufacturers around the world.
We're also big fans of LibreOfficehere at Geek Squad. This open-source Microsoft Office alternative can do anything its commercial rival does: from intricately formatted Word documents to complicated Excel-format spreadsheets.
When it comes to working with digital images, Adobe's Photoshop is the industry standard – but the open-source GIMP, or GNU Image Manipulation Project, gives it an excellent run for its money. If you're looking for extremely powerful way to touch up your photos or create original digital artworks, it offers the best possible bang for your buck.
Finally, the audio editor Audacityis a much-loved choice for anyone who needs to record or edit audio at home. If you're looking to put together a podcast, all you need is a copy of this and a decent microphone – and its advanced features, effects and multi-track recording will make home musicians happy, too.
And now you know all about open-source software! Any questions, or recommendations for our readers? Drop us a comment below.