Open source software – it is so indispensible in the IT world today that it can be found in Fortune 500 corporations, governments, and even academic institutions.  Moreover, different sized organizations have embraced open source technology over proprietary applications to cut costs and to enjoy the ability to create customized software.

Additionally, according to figures released by Sun Microsystems, more than two billion phones and one billion personal computers run Java technology. A 2008 study by Gartner found that more than two-thirds of the surveyed companies used open source technologies in mission-critical applications.

Further, Sun Microsystems, in its white paper, Open Source in the Enterprise: Fulfilling the Promise, cites the following reasons why enterprises embrace open source software

Benefits of using open source software

  • Early access to new technology. Open source products provide access to source code - allowing developers to modify applications to their needs.
  • Ease of deployment. Most mature open source software are now equipped with installation applications that include graphical user interfaces and online help.
  • Freedom from vendor lock-in.  Enterprises can choose to deploy a combination of only the most important applications and features.
  • Greater security. Open source projects go through mo re hours of quality assurance, and if an issue arises, a community of developers provides solutions to security issues in most cases.
  • Cost savings. The capital expenses for deployment are significantly less than for proprietary technologies. In fact, open source software is geared towards a more community-based approach - from development - to deployment - to support.

In spite of its growing popularity, open source software does have its pitfalls. For instance, technology analysts believe that the reliability of open source software is questionable - particularly because the popularity of open source software was more of a reaction to the cost of proprietary technology and the publishers’ business practices.

Quality and support are also among the issues cited by open source software’s non-believers. Most open source technologies lack the level of support that proprietary applications provide. Instead, support and debugging is dependent on a community of open source developers that often do not – and should not – have any knowledge of an open source application’s features or its related back-end technologies.

Given these advantages and disadvantages, the fact that open source has bitten a huge chunk of proprietary software’s share of the IT market, proves that the rewards of open source software outnumber the pitfalls. In fact, it all boils down to just how well open source software is managed in terms of deployment, quality, support, and security. With respect to this management, Sun provided the following valuable tips.

Pitfalls of using open source software

  • Download and play around with an open source application. Using an application enables you and your team to be intimately familiar with the item’s features and source codes.
  • Check the application’s ecosystem. If you must, avoid being the first person or company to use the application. Instead, make sure that the application has existing support - and that it is compatible with the right operating systems and hardware.  It is also helpful if the application is being vouched for by a substantial number of end-users.
  • Acquire the software from an authorized source. Get the software from a well-known vendor that must protect its own reputation - and thus, can confidently guarantee the quality of the technology.
  • Sign up for production-level support . Your vendor or service provider should be able to provide support that will be on the same level as proprietary software support. You may look for both vendor-provided - as well as internal and community-driven support.