What should you know about the best free software?
But then again, the world was quite different three decades ago and Stallman's GNU Project was never intended to be the launch pad of a whole new era of technological crimes. At its very foundation, free software is (and it will always be) an amazing idea and a win-win situation for both developers and users. But in reality, the 21st century has taught us that free software is great only under certain circumstances - and that it may not be as beneficial in other cases.
According to the 2015 Future of Open Source Survey, no less than 78% of the companies interviewed use open source software at least partially. At the same time though, many of them have not built formal policies to support their legal and security risks.
What is it that you should know about the best free software? How come so many people use it? Should you use it as well? Furthermore, should you only use open source software? We have gathered the answers you need - so read on to find out more.
Not all free software is created alike
Not all free software is built to be free forever and not all free software can be edited either. More importantly, not all free software is genuine and benevolent. Of course, there are a lot of free software options that are perfect from many points of view - and you should use those if you find that they are the best option for your company.
The best free software is great not only because it costs literally nothing, but also because it can be truly qualitative as well. Since a lot of "freebies" are coded by a multitude of developers (each bringing his/her own contribution), it is very likely that the best free software options are actually helpful. Additionally, the fact that you can edit them according to your own company's needs can be extremely beneficial too.
So, how do you sift useful freebies from junk?
As mentioned above, the best free software can be very advantageous for a company. At the same time, be aware of the malicious free software and of the freebies that limit your company's options in terms of how one can actually work with them. The good news is that there are things you can do to make sure you get the good freebies on the internet. Here are some of the most important ones:
1. Check with the source. Never download anything from a website that looks even remotely suspicious. Never download anything that is linked in an email or in a suspicious ad.
2. Do your homework and research your free software before you download it. Check who the people behind that particular software are. See if the project they sustain is trustworthy, so that you know whether or not their software is safe and reliable.
3. When it comes to very important software applications, go with the most well-known options (e.g. if you need an antivirus, check with the largest names in the industry - Kaspersky, Bitdefender, and so on.
Be very attentive with these things. Most often, free software can be just a mask malware and other serious threats to the security of your company. And the last thing you want is to have your business' confidential data stolen!
What about freebies vs. commercial software?
For every free software available online, there is most likely a commercial version available too. If free software is so great, why is it that commercial software is so successful because many business owners still choose it over the free options?
First of all, commercial software is still very successful because it's trustworthy and because with it, you can be almost certain things will function the way you need them to. You may not be able to customise the software, but you will at least have safe ground under your feet. Also, this type of software is generally easier to use - so if you plan on having it introduced to one of your company's teams, they may find that learning how to work on it will be more straightforward.
Take, for example, remote desktop support software. According to ProxyNetworks, this is one of the most important software applications to have if you want to truly improve your business' IT structure. At the same time, keep in mind that this software should be easy to use for everyone, regardless of how tech-savvy they may be. Thus, choosing a commercial application would probably be the best solution both for your employees and the people for whom they provide support.
The list of examples can go on. From the Operating System to the application you use for internal communication, there is a huge range of options on both sides - the freeware and the paid software. What's important though is that you choose them according to the people who will be using them.
Conclusion
Accused of "eating the world of software development alive", the free software movement is and will always be important for businesses of all sizes. However, it is crucial that you acknowledge the fact that not all free software is the same. What's more, you should know how to distinguish between those that can actually benefit your company and those that could harm it irremediably.
About Olivia Mccollum
Olivia is a zealous Financial Manager residing in Florida. She usually writes about technology, IT and marketing.
