What is open source
As described in the encarta enceclopedia the definition of open source software is: a form of software in which users are given or can obtain the original source code from which a computer program is compiled, and which also includes a license allowing users to use, modify, and redistribute the code.� In other words the ownership of the source is passed on to each and every user. So eventually everybody owns the code and nobody does at the same time. This creates the possibility to use the open source software in any way the user wishes.

The problem is eventually that something that is developed by different users can be sold by someone. Offcourse this is a problem for everyone that one person earns money on something more users have developed. Therefor open source can be protected by the GNU General Public License (GPL). This license can be used to ensure that all users of the open source will be able to use, alter and pass it through for free. GPL is also protecting the fact that open source software can not be sold or changed into a closed source software. The only benifit that is allowed using open source software when using the GPL is the service of this software.

GNU General Public License
During our research we have searched for the advantages and disadvantages of open source protected by the GPL. In this way we can compare the advantages and disadvantages of open source software and commercial software for companies using the two different license types taking the guidelines of both licenses to compare.

The advantages
To know why you have to choose for open source you first have to know the benefits. If there are no benefits you won’t even look at it. Open source has a lot of advantages that make it a powerfull tool for the business world. The most important benifits have been summed up using Linux as an example for some. Some of these advantages come from the interesting book Expanding Choices.

1. Escape vendor lock-in
   Frustration with vendor lock-in is a reality for all IT managers. In addition to ongoing license fees, there is lack of portability and the inability to customize software to meet specific needs. Open source exists as a declaration of freedom of choice.
2. Lower software costs
   Open source solutions generally require no licensing fees. The logical extension is no maintenance fees. The only expenditures are for media, documentation, and support, if required.
   Example of buying and implementing servers:
• Windows Server:
  win 2000:� 300,- + 0 clients
  upgrade 2003:� 778,- + 5 clients
  Implementation:� 640,- (8 hours)
• Linux Server:
  Linux: 0,-
  Upgrade: 0,-
  Implementation: 640,- (8 hours)
3. Simplified license management
   Obtain the software once and install it as many times and in as many locations as you need. There’s no need to count, track, or monitor for license compliance. Taking the example of the lower software costs, 5 windows 2003� servers cost about� 7100 euro and 5 linux servers cost about 3200 euro.
4. Lower hardware costs for some software
   In general, Linux and open source solutions are elegantly compact and portable, and as a result require less hardware power to accomplish the same tasks as on conventional servers (Windows, Solaris) or workstations. The result is you can get by with less expensive or older hardware. This is nowadays getting less and less important. Where you still can see the difference is when you compare MySQL and MS SQL. You see that MySQL can be installed on the same server as the web server. But MS SQL instead requires a seperate server specifically for MS SQL. Costs for a MS SQL server is about 4000 euro hardware and 6200 euro for the license. That compared with MySQL this is off course a really big difference.
5. Scaling/consolidation potential
   Again, Linux and open source applications and services can often scale considerably. Multiple options for load balancing, clustering, and open source applications, such as database and email, give organizations the ability to scale up for new growth or consolidate to do more with less.
6. Ample support
   Support is available for open source often even better then proprietary solutions. First, open source support is freely available and accessible through the online community via the Internet. And second, many tech companies are now supporting open source with free online and multiple levels of paid support. So for companies in need of Service Level Agreements this can be bought. But not all open source software has these possibilities.

Open source has a lot of advatages compared to closed source software and every day is growing because the community is growing, and people skills are growing.

Although this is growing this much and fast it does not mean that closed source will disappear in the end. To use open source you have to have another mentality regarding the expectations of the product, and the conditions of use, compared to closed source software. When choosing for open source software you have to know that it can be less fast that a closed software version, or that it can be less user friendly, or less reliable, or have less technical possibility’s. So to make a choice between open or closed source software is compare your needs and wishes with both products and balance what suits best.

Disadvantages
Today’s companies have some struggles with open source software. Also companies who sell closed source software are not really happy with the open source solutions. But this competition motivates both to develop more and more to try to distinct themselves from the other.
The following points are some important struggles what companies have regarding open source.

1. Quality software
   The quality of open source is still not perfect. If you put a open source software next to a closed source software you see that there are some differences in for instance design. Open source projects often don’t have enough possibility’s to set up a good design. Then it is more likely to find fauls in open source. This are often small things, but because most companies can not afford fauls, even if these are small it can be bad. Alltough If you take open source of today you see big progress in all of these aspects.
2. There is no guarantee that development will happen
   In other words you can not assume that there will be an ongoing developement of the product. Or even that the software will reach a usable stage. This is because if there are not enough fundings during the project start and development, the projects just “dies” when it runs out of fundings, programmers or needs of the users.
3. There may be significant problems connected to intellectual property4
   Because there are so many contributors to a open source project that eventually it is almost impossible to find out who owns it. This is becoming important now that countries are accepting software and algorithm patents. Like in mentioned in the article: “It is very difficult to know if some particular method to solve a software problem is patented, and so the community can be considered guilty of intellectual property infringement”. This subject is though pretty complicated, and the open source community is working hard, together with GNU to get it to work correctly and preserver the property rights correctly. To read more about it we refer to an MIT document on the internet
4. It is sometimes difficult to know that a project exist, and its current status
   This is because there is almost no advertising for open source projects. This is because there is often lack of financial funding by companies. These fundings are essential if you want to use good marketing.
5. Research and development does not exist.
   The struggle of open source is that there is almost no room voor research and development. And exactly that research and development creates possibility’s to grow, and develop new and interesting tools for the needs of the customers. At this moment most open source software tends to “follow” the path of the closed software.

Most disadvatages of open source can easily be refuted. There are a lot of alternatives and solutions developed by the opensoure comunity to create a better platform. Take for example the guarantee of development. Every person or company can motivate the open source comunity by getting involved. This could be enough to “motivate” a project to continue and ensure continuation of that particular project..
Intellectual property is a difficult point. But there are new licensing methods introduced that can become the solution for this problem. For instance “Creative Commons Licensing” is in a way working in that direction by protecting open source.
More and more interesting open source software are making it nowadays attractive to think about using or contributing to open source. So measuring your wishes and needs with the things open source can offer, will give a good answer to questions regarding open source software in this research.

Commercial use of open source
Commercial use of open source is not conform the GNU GPL definition. It is not allowed to sell an open source product. From the moment on you sell the open source product, or an alternated version it is not anymore open source. Also you are violating the GPL General Public License� license.
There are constructions possible for selling “open source” but eventually these solutions are not open source according to the GNU General Public License definition that says: “By contrast, the GNU General Public License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free software–to make sure the software is free for all its users.”

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