The following is a collection of questions and answers about open source software. These questions are asked quite commonly when an organization is new to open source.

Are any serious organizations using open source? As outlined above, an increasing number of organizations are adopting open source, especially for server and web applications. Also, the majority of the internet servers are running open source web and e-mail servers.

Major companies like IBM, Sun, Apple, Netscape, HP and Oracle have adopted an open source model for at least part of their business.

Will open source really save money for my organization?
Generally, yes. The elimination of license fees is a significant cost saving.

Is open source software hard to use?
While many open source applications are designed by programmers for programmers, there are an increasing number of packages that are easy to use and have been designed with users in mind.

This said, a review of usability should be included in the assessment of open source software options – just as it should with commercial software. If an application is hard to use, it may not be the right choice.

Is open source software "buggy"?
The bugginess and stability of any released software (i.e. version 1.0 or above) is dependent on the quality of the programming and interface design. Both proprietary and open source applications have bugs, but only FLOSS software lets you and your community fix the bugs yourself.

Also, open source projects tend to make it easier for users to report and discuss bugs with developers than commercial software companies do.

For example, most open source projects include a mailing list where users and developers can exchange ideas.

What are the support resources like for open source?
Who do I call when something doesn’t work?
Support resources vary in quality depending on the software package in question. "Mainstream" applications like operating systems and office suites tend to come with good electronic documentation.

Support can usually be obtained for a fee from companies like Red Hat or from one of the many consulting companies that are emerging to support open source tools.

When you pay for this kind of support, you should receive the same kind of service and accountability you would expect from a commerical provider.

It is also worth noting that most open source projects have free support forums which can be surprisingly useful.

Is open source sustainable as a business model?
Open source is growing in popularity, quality and innovative business models. Some of these business models are commercial, with consulting companies using open source as a way to lower overall project costs and win more contracts.

Other business models are non-profit, with organizations banding together in consortia to create a software application that will benefit the whole group.

Isn’t open source only Linux?
No. While the Linux operating system is the most well known and popular open source software, it is possible to find open source software to meet almost any computer need. This includes e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet and web browsers.

Does open source software run on Windows?
Many people assume that you need to be running Linux to use open source tools. This is not the case. Many open source tools have been written to run on Windows, Macintosh and other platforms.

This includes everything from the Apache web server, to the PHP scripting language, to OpenOffice.org.

How many open source options are there?
Is there open source software for my needs? There are full and growing suites of quality open source applications covering a wide range of user needs on a full assortment of operating systems.

Open source software is available for all popular operating systems, including Mac, Windows, Palm, and most prominently Linux, which itself is open source.

Does taking advantage of open source mean I have to work with people who speak in acronyms (a.k.a. "geeks")?
There are many information technology professionals and technical consultants that can help implement open source solutions while communicating in common everyday friendly language.

Don’t open source projects often get abandoned?
Just as many software businesses go out of business, so may some open source developers decide to leave a project.

But unlike commercial software, open source code is always available for other groups to pick up and continue, as was the case for GIMP and Apache.

Is open source software available on CD-ROM?
Can I only download it off the internet?
Linux distributions (which include one or more suites of popular desktop applications) are available on CD. Outreach programs are distributing CD-Roms of open source applications.

Both proprietary and open source software benefit from regular patches and updates downloaded off the internet. Linux and other open source operating systems can be completely downloaded from the internet.

Copyright statement: Introduction to Open Source

Unit developed by: Mark Surman and Jason Diceman, The Commons Group.

Edited and revised by Brian Diaz of Media 65.
Creative Commons License