Using low-cost or no-cost software can save your company a significant amount of money, or can it?
There are numerous excellent software solutions out there for almost anything you can dream of, or imagine, for little or no money. Many of these solutions have been created under an open source model.
Open Source is where the developer has granted free distribution of a program and access to source code in an effort to further the software development. A few sites that offer thousands of open source, shareware and freeware programs are www.sourceforge.net, www.opensourceprograms.net, www.tucows.com, www.majorgeeks.com and www.osalt.com.
Many of these solutions were created to solve a particular need or because a developer was not satisfied with existing commercial solutions. Over time, these programs have continued to be enhanced and have grown into excellent alternatives to commercial programs.
When making the decision to use an open source, low-cost or no-cost solution, there are some critical criteria that should be carefully considered, including:
1. How critical is the software functionality to your business? The more critical, the more in-depth your research on the software should be.
2. What is the source of the software? Is it a single, small developer or an organization or company providing an open source version? Software created by a single developer tends to have a greater risk associated with it, while companies providing an open source version tend to be more stable.
3. Is there documentation and does it make sense to you? If there is no documentation or help files, then unless the application is very simple, you may have difficulty getting what you expect out of the product.
4. Does the software come from a trusted source? If you find the application you were looking for, make sure you try to locate a review from a credible source, such as www.pcmag.com or www.cnet.com, and go check out the developer's Web site. If after doing these you don't feel 100 percent comfortable with the source of the software, then don't install it. It could contain some form of malware, like a virus or spyware, which could compromise your computer and your company's data.
5. Is the software continuously being updated? Recent software updates and active forums are indications the product development is continuing and problems in the software may be resolved in the future.
If after you complete your research you feel you've found the right application, there are still some precautions to take. First, make sure you have a good system backup. Also, it would be advisable to install the application on a test machine or in a virtual environment, just in case something goes wrong.
For more information, call (760) 633-3301 or visit www.techconsvc.com.
There are numerous excellent software solutions out there for almost anything you can dream of, or imagine, for little or no money. Many of these solutions have been created under an open source model.
Open Source is where the developer has granted free distribution of a program and access to source code in an effort to further the software development. A few sites that offer thousands of open source, shareware and freeware programs are www.sourceforge.net, www.opensourceprograms.net, www.tucows.com, www.majorgeeks.com and www.osalt.com.
Many of these solutions were created to solve a particular need or because a developer was not satisfied with existing commercial solutions. Over time, these programs have continued to be enhanced and have grown into excellent alternatives to commercial programs.
When making the decision to use an open source, low-cost or no-cost solution, there are some critical criteria that should be carefully considered, including:
1. How critical is the software functionality to your business? The more critical, the more in-depth your research on the software should be.
2. What is the source of the software? Is it a single, small developer or an organization or company providing an open source version? Software created by a single developer tends to have a greater risk associated with it, while companies providing an open source version tend to be more stable.
3. Is there documentation and does it make sense to you? If there is no documentation or help files, then unless the application is very simple, you may have difficulty getting what you expect out of the product.
4. Does the software come from a trusted source? If you find the application you were looking for, make sure you try to locate a review from a credible source, such as www.pcmag.com or www.cnet.com, and go check out the developer's Web site. If after doing these you don't feel 100 percent comfortable with the source of the software, then don't install it. It could contain some form of malware, like a virus or spyware, which could compromise your computer and your company's data.
5. Is the software continuously being updated? Recent software updates and active forums are indications the product development is continuing and problems in the software may be resolved in the future.
If after you complete your research you feel you've found the right application, there are still some precautions to take. First, make sure you have a good system backup. Also, it would be advisable to install the application on a test machine or in a virtual environment, just in case something goes wrong.
For more information, call (760) 633-3301 or visit www.techconsvc.com.