The Definitive Guide for Choosing Business Management Software - CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5 - IS OPEN SOURCE THE BEST?

SUMMARY:

A few years ago open source software was something really alternative, but slowly it has been gaining market share because of the great features it offers. And the segment of ERPs and management software is no exception. In this chapter we try to list the main advantages and disadvantages of betting on open source.

KEY IDEAS:

• Free software is not necessarily better. There are good and bad proprietary programs. And good and bad open source programs.
• Very often there is someone who choose a popular program so that nobody in the company criticizes the decision, despite having more interesting alternatives.
• Open source software is free, flexible and transparent. But it is also different, minority and can be modified by anyone.

IS OPEN SOURCE THE BEST? This is a difficult question to answer, the fact that a program is free or proprietary does not necessarily mean that it is better or worse. There are proprietary programs that are excellent and others that are very bad, and the same goes for open source software. What happens is that free software is usually expressly made with a certain ‘disadvantage’, especially in the ERP sector.

Proprietary ERPs produced by large-scale manufacturers come with more marketing and more prestige. This means that it is far easier to find someone in the sector who already has a proprietary tool rather than an open source version. Does this make it better? The answer is no. It may sometimes make users feel more confident, especially to the person responsible for its purchase. Our experience has shown us that SAP or Microsoft tools are often bought, not on a basis of surety, but in order to minimise risks; i.e. to avoid criticism from within the company: the purchase is seen to be justified as it is a tool already used by thousands of companies worldwide, even though the cost is far higher and the tool far bigger than they need to be.

Here a list of the main pros and cons involved in free software is what is needed:

Pros

• Usually free. You don’t have to feel like a crook when you make copies or ask someone to give you a licence code.
• Flexible. You almost never have to deal with more software than you need, nor will you be left wanting. The program can grow with your business.
• Transparent. Nobody can rip you off. Any IT engineer can see how it’s programmed and make the modifications you need.

Cons

• Different. Choosing open source may mean having to migrate databases and other elements to this type of technology.
• Minority technology. Even though it is increasingly more popular, there are still setbacks when choosing non-majority technology, especially when it comes to an ERP.
• Accessible. Anyone can play with an open source program, because you can enter freely, with all the risks that this involves.

Having said this, we can now move on to TIP NUMBER 3: Analyse programs and evaluate them without prejudice and think about benefits for your company. Then take the decision that seems the most appropriate.

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

CHAPTER 4: Incorporate products developed in open source software into the search. They will broaden your perspective and offer you advantages that perhaps interest you.

CHAPTER 3: How should you start looking for an ERP? The main mistake is to limit the initial search too much.

CHAPTER 2: We find out when is the right time to select an ERP and how long it will take to choose it and start it up.

CHAPTER 1: Selecting a business management program is always a headache. This guide is aspirin that will help you face it.

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