Open source technology immediately identified as each consumer will use the product in a slightly different manner. This identifying and fixing of problems once the software is in the public domain is imperative as it can be the difference between the success and failure. Nothing is perfect Free and open-source software is by no means perfect when it comes to having problems. However they are generally fixed in a considerably shorter amount of time. In the case of Firefox, updates are released immediately, not on a monthly schedule. In saying that, there is no guarantee with any software that problems will be identified and corrected. I believe it is important that if you do look to adopt a free or open-source product that you ensure it is widely used. The higher the volume of users, the more likely the problems are identified and put right. With the traditional off-the-shelf software you are generally restricted in how you can use it. With free and open-source you can have certain aspects of the software customised to your business requirements. An example of this flexibility for the property industry would be to use a free or open-source product, such as a customer relationship management system or a workflow management system, and to have a programmer develop your own site data collection module and report creator. This option may be better than other products available to the industry as it gives you a something which is unique to you. It is this ability to have a unique product that swayed us in Property InDepth to have a system fully built and customised. If this customisation is completed on a free or open-source platform, a basic site data collection and report creator module can be built at a fraction of the cost of a traditional system. Programming is also an industry that constantly sees hackers wanting to bring down the top dog. Therefore in using a product which has programmers from around the world working on it and correcting problems, assuming of course they get identified as well as not being run as the top dog, it is far less likely to suffer from an attack.
Why is there not more usage of free software? Free and open-source alternatives to traditional products are freely available, and even for the less technically savvy are easy to install. However it is often hard for people to change their habits. For others the thought of having to research the possibilities is daunting. For many it is just easier to go with what comes on the computer when you get it. However if you are looking at buying software consider the options with free and open-source, especially if you are looking to upgrade your existing business systems with technology. It can be extremely rewarding.
20 Property Quarterly Vol 2, Issue 1, March 2012
Some ideas What types of software may you want to consider to help in the effective and efficient operation in your business as the industry changes? Can you get free or open-source options for these? The following lists some ideas with some free or open-source products able to provide the functionality of a number of the individual applications listed. Application
Free or open source available
Accounting
Yes
Word processing
Yes
Spreadsheet
Yes
PDF creator
Yes
Internet browser
Yes
Email management
Yes
Client relationship management
Yes
Work flow management
Yes
Mobile data collection
Yes
As you can see, you could run your entire business on software at no-cost, or a fraction of the cost of traditional customised software, if you have a free or open-source product developed to meet your business requirements. However I cannot personally endorse any specific products as I do not use most of them. The reason for not using them is because we run fully customised software for most of our business. When I could run free or open-source, I suppose I fall into the group of just not getting around to changing what came on the laptop when I purchased it. However, I do own a software development company which builds software for the management of small businesses, and the platform we build on is open-source. I am therefore an advocate. As a development company open-source allows us to build a top end product but at a cost which is achievable for small businesses. The follow links to websites are a few that I thought you may find interesting. The two following links direct you to websites which give access to, and provide information on. Windows compatible software http://opensourcewindows.org/ http://www.infoworld.com/d/open-source/bestfree-open-source-software-windows-903?page=0,0 The next link gives you a tool to search for common software and which provides you with details of the no-cost alternative to software http://www.osalt.com Enjoy your research and I hope I can save you some money. Steve Tucker Property InDepth