Linux, Mozilla Firefox, and the GNU Compiler Collection are just a few of the genuinely famous open-source initiatives that have emerged in the IT world throughout time. By 2023, it is expected that the open-source market would have grown to over $32 billion. Yet, despite such growth, OSS is still often derided as inferior in quality, security, and longevity in comparison to proprietary software when there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Here are 4 concerns that still persist about OSS, and why they should officially be labeled myths:
Myth 1: Open-source software is less secure than proprietary solutions.
Open-source software's reputation for having weak security has historically been its biggest misunderstanding. This typically takes into account how many vulnerabilities were patched during open-source projects.
However, the strong community that surrounds these initiatives is only strengthened by the large number of vulnerabilities that are being patched. A defined vulnerability group, for instance, works to identify and fix security flaws in OpenJDK. The open-source code is regularly checked by participants for problems, which are then promptly fixed.
Therefore, the community resolves security flaws and directly tells the users rather than pushing them under the rug. Developers of proprietary software and programming languages, on the other hand, are frequently less open about security flaws. There is no evidence to support the claim that open-source software is more safe than proprietary software, yet threat awareness is one of its advantages.
Myth 2: Open-source software is too complex to maintain.
Another widespread misconception is that open-source technologies are only used and developed by irrational geeks because they are difficult to understand and maintain. On the contrary, well-known technology firms like Oracle, Amazon, and Google are creating, utilizing, and improving open-source solutions. Even though they do need some support, open-source contributions are transparent and well-documented, making them easy to use.
Myth 3: Open-source projects have poor to no support.
The fact that open-source software is created by volunteers does not imply that there is no support available or that you will have to wait an extended period of time for assistance. Collaboration is key to open-source initiatives, and there are numerous businesses that offer financial support. Therefore, you can enter into a contract with a business whose engineers will help you and continue to work on the open-source software you use. Because there are so many support providers, you can pick the one that best suits your needs, which is one of the benefits of open-source solutions.
Tidelift, a Boston-based company that supports open-source software for development teams including IBM, Oracle, and Red Hat, uses a different strategy. They compensate the independent open-source programmers who made the packages used by their clients for code maintenance. By doing this, they can deal with problems' underlying causes more quickly. Through such liaisons, businesses are better able to match their needs with what open-source projects can provide and contribute new functions to the community.
Myth 4: Open-source products are developed chaotically.
When using an open-source solution, transparency of the roadmap should also be taken into consideration. You might assume that open-source goods are created in a disorderly manner due to the avalanche of people who contribute to them. Open-source projects typically call for stringent governance of additions, nevertheless.
For instance, a governing board monitors the OpenJDK community's organization, management, and general well-being. It does not, however, directly control technical or release choices. No one will be able to utilize the project to advance their arbitrary interests in this way. As an alternative, these boards assist in resolving procedural conflicts and guarantee that community contributions keep the project on track and preserve its value.
A substantial pool of experienced developers and organizations are able to contribute their ideas thanks to the OpenJDK protocol for starting and executing changes. The open-source community develops a variety of solutions that you might not find in one department or one organization.
The development process is inspired and advanced by an open-source community. When this idea first emerged, there was a fair amount of criticism, but now, open-source initiatives are seen as a more transparent and cutting-edge way to create something new that encourages collaboration rather than rivalry. This work method has led to the success of numerous open-source projects and communities, demonstrating that while ability can win games, collaboration and intellect can win championships.
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Source: https://prismic-io.s3.amazonaws.com/www-static/997c5090-c247-4403-9cfd-7f73d225eec2_DigitalOcean-Currents-Q4-2019.pdf
