Opensource, Freeware or Shareware - What it should be?
@THEcreationist (837)
India
May 26, 2010 11:44pm CST
In this age of technology, especially computers, all of us are dependent on different kinds of software. In this scenario, when there are big, but costly products in market; one also has their free (and even opensource) alternatives present. The presence of a wide user base has led to a debate; a large group says the software should be free or opensource for all; while others justify themselves saying a software developer needs to be paid for his/her hard work. However, the counterattack comes with the argument that they can be paid by money generated by utilizing the software, not by selling it.
As the debate is very hot, I ask for your views on the topic. What do you think? Should all software be shareware, or freeware or opensource? Or you keep certain classes of software in one category while others in the other category?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@1anurag1 (3576)
• India
27 May 10
As a consumer i would love to get anything for free.
But i think for getting better things for long time there is a cost, and if we don’t pay any cost then after a period of time those things could be disappeared.
Think if there is no windows or mac i think linux would not have adapted the GUI. I think if the workers or developer will not be paid they will not stay in the industry and they will move to another and use the free softwares available. The result will be no new things and the development could become very slower in the industry.
If a building is made and sell to the person and ask him to pay only if he lives for some time , so how the contractor will pay the labours and also how can he construct the new one.
1 person likes this
@THEcreationist (837)
• India
28 May 10
Yeah, I also do love them.
But, I fully agree to your views. There is a certain quality gap between shareware and freeware, as it is human tendency to work best when they get in - hand salary, whatever may be the chances of generating the second phase income from freeware. So, the presence of shareware certainly maintains a quality standard in the industry, side by side giving the rich user a choice for the best product, in case.
Thanks for your valuable response.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
27 May 10
well i always though that opensource are programs with the source code open to public
Freeware are programs that are free to use and shareware programs that is free to distribute.
one can be the three but some can be just for one or two.
well sometimes companies will give the source code of the program to the public so independent developers can develop it further can share it to the public.
@THEcreationist (837)
• India
28 May 10
Yup, opensource is a near necessity in the present scenario, to enable young programmers in developing software, so that the next generation of software would be better.
Thanks for your response.
@rsa101 (37969)
• Philippines
27 May 10
I am for Opensource or freeware because I can see that these paid software are becoming overly priced already that you cannot afford them anymore. With the existence of these alternative software around you can somehow regulate those paying software around to put their prices down to compete with these open source software. I can see that if everyone would go to premium or paying software everybody would make their prices higher with one another.
1 person likes this
@THEcreationist (837)
• India
27 May 10
Such a case will arise only if there is complete monopoly of a company in a particular software field, the company can raise the price to whatever extent it wishes to. However, in case of a competitive environment, prices will be regulated by the rivalry among companies.
But, certainly, these alternatives also act as price regulators. Thanks for your response.
@rbdescartin (616)
• Philippines
27 May 10
I really love freeware some application software I am using, but with regard to operating system I really like Microsoft Windows and how I wish they could give it free but they are correct how could they pay there programmers and other employees if they will give it for free, it is good to have opensource software but the problem is that you have a limited support with the 3rd party application software.
1 person likes this
@THEcreationist (837)
• India
27 May 10
Yup, the economic factor always comes in handy in the industry. Also, limited support and lack of quality somehow creep into the opensource or freeware software.
I also like Microsoft Windows, but after seeing the movie Pirates of the Silicon Valley, I kind of hate Microsoft products.
