How Small Business Can Benefit From Open Source Software
Open-source software isn't just for computer experts and private individuals. Your small business can also benefit from using it for everyday purposes, from accounting to inventory to website design. Some open-source software developers even let you modify their product to sell your own version, making open-source software a potential source of revenue for your business.
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Save Money
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Open-source software is software whose code anyone can access. It differs from proprietary software, which is software whose code is the property of the distributing business and, thus, private. Though it isn't always the case, "open-source" often means free. This is due in large part to the belief among open-source software developers that not only the programming code but also the software itself should be accessible to everyone. Open-source software developers often include forums on their software websites that allow users to give and receive technical support for free, even when their software isn't free. Choosing open-source software for your small business can save you hundreds of dollars per year in software and technical support costs.
Avoid Liability Issues
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Though your privileges depend on the particular license offered by the open-source software you use, most developers allow you to modify and redistribute software that you download from them. The only requirement in most cases is that you provide the recipient with a copy of the license you received with the software so he knows that he has the same privileges. Such sharing privileges make it less likely that your business will encounter copyright infringement issues as you might using proprietary software. You could save thousands of dollars in legal fees.
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Distribute Your Own Software
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Because you may modify and redistribute open-source software, your business can use open-source software as the basis to produce your own software. For example, if you like a certain online job board software and the license for that software allows, you can hire a freelance Web programmer to modify the code and put your business's name on the finished product. Depending on what license the software has, you might even be able to charge for your software.
Drive Traffic
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Once a visitor arrives at your business website, you can turn her into a customer. To drive people to your website, you must have something valuable on it -- such as helpful software. This software might be available for download or it might exist as an application on your website, such as a mortgage calculator. In this sense, free open-source software can serve as no-risk advertising for your business since the only thing you have to lose is the time you invest in designing the Web page containing the software.
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