To open source or not to open source that is a question being debated by IT managers all across the globe. While some are forced to go with open source due to limited budget, even enterprises who can afford to spend the money should reconsider. As far as software testing tools there are quite a lot of open source solutions that will give proprietary systems a run for their money. Here are some quick benefits of going with something open source.
Quality:
You would think a private COTS product would be of a higher quality than something free, you would be wrong in most cases. Think of it this way: due to the open nature of these products thousands of developers and contributing to it instead of tens of hundreds in a private firm developing some testing solution. Which one would you rather have?
Customizability:
Business users can take a piece of open source software and tweak it to suit their needs. Since the code is open, it’s simply a matter of modifying it to add the functionality they want. Don’t try that with proprietary software, else you will be defending yourself for many years in court.
Flexibility and Freedom:
Proprietary software tends to resource intensive and requires the latest hardware. Think about Windows vs. Linux, one needs the latest hardware while the other runs in much older machines perfectly happily. Not only can you utilize a generation old hardware you also free yourself from being locked in with a vendor.
Cost:
Of course the cost is a big factor as well. You can’t really beat FREE. Open source tools don’t come with fees at all. You can try as many as you like until you find the one. You would have to spend thousands to try closed source tools. Of course once you decide to go with a tool there are vendors that will provide support so you don’t have to go at it alone or feel like you’re using an inferior product.
Often times open source products can be of higher quality than their closed source peers. Just because it’s free does not mean it’s no good. Softech, LLC specializes in using open source solutions to meet client testing needs. We would be happy to talk to you about your needs. Please contact us today.