As globalization dawns upon businesses, industries across the globe are waking up to an era envisioning vast sea change of possibilities to learn, grow and explore. Free software movement began in the late 90s and 2000s to evoke series of arguments debating on the need for open-source technologies in the democratic republic of India.

Those earlier manifestations of disappointment experienced by the free software enthusiasts primarily imposed and later necessitated the need for open source software systems in India. Indian government’s launch of the ‘Digital India’ initiative and the announcement of much-awaited ‘Open Source Policy’ in April 2015 fostered many positive developments.

For one, Indian companies started encouraging developers to start contributing to the open-source community by using open-source applications and frameworks. To promote open source adoption, India is in the process of incorporating BOSS, a Government of India initiative to take the nation’s growth journey in IT and other industries to the next level. Further the Indian education system needs to be upgraded to encourage contribution habit amongst youth.

Facts To Consider Before Adopting Open Source

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Since open-source as a term implies that the product is free, do check and validate the license and source from where it is shipped. Always evaluate all the open-source tools, libraries, and other codes for their authenticity and check thoroughly for any malicious intent in the code.

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Linux maintains a clear distinction between the administrative and general user accounts to ensure higher security on open-source systems than on proprietary ones. Even though open-source operating systems are still vulnerable to the general security issues such as weak passwords, the vulnerability is always confined to the general user account and does not permeate to the entire system.

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Linux maintains a clear distinction between the administrative and general user accounts to ensure higher security on open-source systems than on proprietary ones. Even though open-source operating systems are still vulnerable to the general security issues such as weak passwords, the vulnerability is always confined to the general user account and does not permeate to the entire system.

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Social media, big data, cloud, virtualisation and Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionised business workings, and it’s impossible for businesses to thrive today in isolation. It’s important to portray a certain amount of openness by embracing new channels of connecting with customers, without compromising on data security.

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Rigid proprietary tools and systems do not allow companies the much-needed flexibility, bandwidth and scalability to expand both by breadth and depth of its service offerings. Companies unwilling to adapt to change to embrace open source technologies fall behind in terms of offering clients a seamless digital experience.

Why Should Businesses Embrace An Open-Source System?

Introduction of open-source systems has taken the world by storm. Open source is the only scalable and robust platform that can ensure best results when dealing with large volumes of data collected by the government. The government infrastructure and systems are reliant on multiple applications, systems, standards and processes. Linux is the only operating system guaranteeing enhanced security.

Open-source programs and technology can run on mainframes and desktop without compromising on performance and quality. Open source software is generally minced with the definition of free software. However, there is a slight difference between the two – all free software can be open source, but all open source software programs and systems are only almost free.

Customers subscribing to open source advantage need to pay for proprietary technology that helps prevents legal infringement of copyrights, offers enhanced protection from security threats, professional training and guidance.

Startups are cashing on the momentum of change, since these are entities established with zeal and passion to excel, but with limited funding capacities. Not just startups but even established MNCs and IT giants to include Amazon, Facebook and Google are embracing open source softwares to reduce costs and create absence of favoritism observed towards a manufacturer.

Open source is a tool for the changing digital landscape that will help draw parallels with those signing up for proprietary technology, tools and systems to create a level-playing field for innovative business minds to thrive, survive and succeed in the long run.