Open-Source Software Benefits for Business Innovations in 2021
Open Source is a very common term in the IT industry. Perhaps, you have already explored numerous similar articles before this one. And, to be honest, they try to be useful and full-filled by providing you with great information and data. However, our mission is to get you through the journey of fresh thoughts.
Buckle up! What is the connection between the most freedom-loving and utopian event of the world Burning Man and the Open Source software community?
“Empowerment of individuals is a key part of what makes open source work since, in the end, innovations tend to come from small groups, not from large, structured efforts.” ~ Tim O’Reilly, O'Reilly Media Founder
What is Open Source Software Development?
Usually, open source can be defined as software with a free source code that is publicly available. Open source enables each developer an opportunity to define, learn in detail, use in primary condition, or even configure for their needs and purposes. First of all, open-source is about the friendly community, where you can collaborate with colleagues, improve your skills, and even become a mentor for somebody who has an idea to release and has not enough skills to turn it into a reality.
On Github, developers cooperate to create an error-free and more full-value software according to the new features they contribute to it or changing some existing.
Top 5 Open Source Platforms Benefits for Business
No stick to the vendor. There is no need to wait while the software publisher would hear your claims. You can manage them with your team. This gives you freedom of choice and flexibility.
Maintenance. It is easy-to-master by your own middle+ developers; thus, they would be able to deploy the features you would need. Whether you would hire on board or just outsource this task, you can easily update and develop your product.
No black-box approach - you can see what is inside, how your data is kept and transferred. A totally glass boxed solution gives transparency for any manoeuvres.
Consists of trendy technologies. frameworks under its hood, open-source platforms are like gateways to a new 3d party solutions.
Total control. You are assuming control for the platform's initial source code to configure it further for your needs.
Open Source Software Rising Popularity
You have already noticed that many companies start following the trend that appeared in the developers’ community. Open source provides an approach for participating companies to collaborate on developments that could bring a mutual value to both parties. Thus, from startup to big enterprise, companies are massively transferring their operations on the FOSS. In this case, they can easily configure a ready solution according to their main purpose and, moreover, they can integrate open source code to the microservice architecture to the software they are developing for commercial activities. Using free & open source solutions in many departments save costs from using proprietary software alternatives, especially CRMs.
You have already seen many articles where there are pros & cons, features, and descriptions of the hottest open-source products. However, all these articles consider all the solutions from the describing and objective point of view. It's okay, however, our team would love to present some dearly loved software products based on open source code from the subjective and practical side. To realize this idea, we have interviewed some of our employees whose work is tied up on the usage of the open-source program.
Blender
Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation studio. Software is able to support all the 3D creation workflow from the modelling to final video editing. experienced developers apply Blender's API to Python scripts for application customization and special tools creation. Usually, they would be included in the next patch.
Blender is a cross-platform software, thus, it is a perfect match for developers who work on Linux, Windows, and Mac as well. To provide consistency Blender's interface was built with OpenGL.
Our Business Analyst Kateryna use it in a spear time for her hobby:
"I am still not a pro user, I am an amateur in 3D Graphic Design and Blender helps me to develop my creative skills as well. I am trying my best to picture Blender scenes from computer games. I have already tried to recreate scenes from the Crysis and World of Warcraft." ~ Kateryna Boiko, XME.digital Business Analyst
GIMP
GIMP (General Image Manipulation Program) is an advanced raster graphics editor, which is the purest representative of the free and open source software. GIMP allows designers to retouch and edit images the way they prefer, provides 2D artists with free-shape drawing opportunities, and features for more specialized tasks.
This is a cross-platform software, thus it is supported by GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows, and more operating systems.
Many users used to know GIMP once as a great photo editor and graphics creation program. However, now GIMP has a more tremendous proprietary-based competitor software - Adobe Photoshop.
Thus, GIMP is waiting for a powerful recovery one day like the game Half-Life is waiting for its third part of the franchise by Valve Corp.
“I used to work with GIMP at school on the Informatics Lessons and it was actually my first graphic editor ever. Then, Photoshop 3 was released, and I focused on PS learning and forgot about the GIMP. I think GIMP is no longer an interesting platform for designers, unfortunately. Nevertheless, it can be a perfect match for open source communities. It is worthy to pay attention to its non-ideal features and try to fix or improve the algorithms it has.” ~ Maryna Konoplinova, Freelance UX Designer
Docker
Docker is a PaaS software development tool that aims to make packing, shipping, and running any application as a lightweight, portable, self-sufficient container, which can be run virtually anywhere.
Docker is an open-source solution, which means it can be easily adapted for any size companies development needs. And, moreover, many modern IT companies use adopted Docker. It is worthy to mention that Docker due to the 2020 StackOverflow Developer Survey is the most loved and wanted container technology, as it was loved by 73.6% of interviewed developers and 24.5% want to master it professionally.
“Once you become a Senior developer, you realize that there is something missing in your portfolio. I was facing the need for open source contribution projects presence. For example, we use Docker for faster and easier creation, deployment, and running applications. However, as an expert, I have already noticed what I would love to contribute to Docker once I have more spare time for such a type of activity. Hope it could be helpful for the fellows who are missing the same features as I do. ” ~ Anatoliy Medvedchuk, XME.digital Chief Architect
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is the most popular PC operating system among office employees for cloud computing. It is a Linux distribution based FOSS. It is free and easy to use. It can be a great match for masOS and Windows as well.
Ubuntu easily connects with the thousands of the most popular and highly-needed programs for your business, like messengers, programming tools, etc.
Ubuntu shares each patch with open source code with the community - this is the most transparent way to agree on a development cycle with open source contributor.
“It made a revolution with the first open-source operating system in the world, which could be used by nonprofessional users. Personally, I loved the distribution model: free CD copy sending on a par with a downloading option.” ~ Victor Kmita, XME.digital CEO
Salesforce
Salesforce is a CRM service for marketing, human resource, business development, and other management circles of responsibilities solving. Salesforce releases diverse projects capable of solving infrastructure, security, app development, and artificial intelligence issues. And the company appreciates contributing needed features to the source code of your business goals achievement.
“Simple to use, easy to understand. I like tools that aim to help people with their daily routine. It gives freedom to do more important things and some space for innovations and future business development.” ~ Iryna Manukovska XME.digital Marketing & Innovation Head
The Culture of Caring & Sharing
Have you ever heard about the most radical and the most expressive fest in the world that is taking place in Nevada, the USA? Did you guess what we are talking about? No?! It is Burning Man fest!
At XME.digital, we have noticed that the Open Source community follows the same principles as the fest Burning Man is promoting during the last 36 years each summer. 7 of them totally match, and 3 of them are not suitable to open source. You can find out below the comparison of these two phenomena.
There is an exciting similarity between the open-source main logo and the shape of the main square Playa at Black Rock City.
#1. Freedom of Self-Expression
The Burning Man fellows are allowed to express their individuality and feelings the way they feel they should till it does not break the freedom frames of the other people. However, all the Burning Man fest principles are more oriented to sociology and psychology to build for one summer week a possible utopian society. The most popular way people show their individuality via the costumes they wear there. Some of them are unreal surrealistic, referring to the Mad Max movie.
And in the context of the Open Source community, each developer can transform his own ideas and desires into the software prototype or full-value software with the source code they have written on their own. It is a rare situation when somebody hides their authorship while developing something open source.
#2. Radical Inclusion
At Burning Man, this means that anyone can be a part of the community. However, you have to provide yourself with all you will need for all the week you will be spending at Black Rock City, including your accommodation conditions.
The same is able to characterize participation in the open-source community. You are on your own, however, you have a right to join this development rave.
#3. Gifting
"Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift-giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value."
At the open-source development process, you are also not required to be paid for your special software development achievements. You may perceive it as a sharing or "gifting".
#4. Radical Self-Reliance
At Burning Man, you should count only at you and your own resources and equipment you have taken with yourself.
In open-source software development, there are usually some full-value and finished open source productions; however, to get the best result, a perfect match to your business needs, you may count on your own hard skills.
#5. Communal Efforts
Due to written rules at Burning Man, fest participants in the Black Rock Desert are encouraged to work with and help fellow participants to make the life of the society easier and more enjoyable.
The same behaviour is welcome at open-source online communities. To become an expert and start creating your own open-source software you have to not afraid of asking questions and creating issues, start to hear radical and rational criticism, handle your mistakes & not afraid of expressing your own expert opinion, sharing relevant and useful code snippets to fellows who need.