Why does open-source software matter to non-programmers?
Open-source software has three key advantages: quality, configurability, and interoperability. • Open-source software is checked and tested by many programmers for bugs and security flaws. Only open-source software can undergo a truly independent security review — all other software may have totally hidden security flaws known only to the vendor! • Open-source software has more configuration options than proprietary software. It is easier to customize for your needs. • Open-source software implements Internet standard protocols better than proprietary software, and also interoperates with non-standard proprietary software. • Open-source software is usually available over the Internet at no charge — but the price is a very small fraction of what you will save through increased productivity.
