Application Development With Open Source Code: Yes or No?

Opinions on open-source platforms are often mixed. Some companies hate the idea. They view them as places where they will struggle to make the profit and risk the theft of intellectual property. In fact, Microsoft once saw the platform as a clear threat. Then there are those that embrace open application development.

Many companies see the potential in the community aspects regarding information sharing and product development. There are clearly different ways to use open-source systems. Some dive in headfirst and take full advantage of the public forum in testing and developing services. Others take a more wary approach.

The following ten companies all have their approaches, views, and purposes.

Ghost

A great starting point here is Ghost because they have one the most simple applications. They are a non-profit publishing platform that uses open-source systems and benefited greatly. The company’s founder began on open-source platforms and saw no reason to stop using them.

They provide information, resources and even financial benefits. There is the appreciation that things are much slower this way. However, the rewards are worth it. Ghost raised the money needed and got ahead with public coding.

FrontlineSMS

This company has developed to find new ways of integrating text messaging services into systems to improve the overall user experience. The use of open-source technology and platforms proved to be something of a challenge here.

There are clear pros and cons for the project leaders. This open-source platform offers the chance to interact with more users and bring ideas to more projects. This is where the open sharing of ideas and code works. The problem is that they have found that it may, in fact, be more profitable to work via a cloud service.

nucivic

The need for improved digital technology within government authorities is clear to see. Citizens need a reliable service for apps, online portals, and social media alerts to interact with. This is why the NuCivic project is so important.

This initiative used the Drupal platform to look at new ways of sharing and managing information on government sites. Furthermore, this project is solely for the use of government agencies. Departments pay once for new features, and everyone involved enjoys the benefits.

Eldarion

This community angle that is so important above is also vital for Eldarion. Here there is a focus on sharing basic code and resources between web developers. The simple idea here is that there is too much time wasted on individual designs of basic website elements.

 In reality, the building blocks should all be the same and designers should focus on the personalized content and other areas. Here the developers believe that licensing is worthless. They encourage users to simply share the basics through open-source platforms.

Clinovo

Clinovo took open-source platform into a whole new area of data and application development. Here companies can take advantage of cloud-based systems for electronic data. It is one of the few to use open-source opportunities in this niche. Their use of programs like Linux and Tomcat mean that there are no software costs.

Also, they can share their work with others. They may be in the minority to a degree, but they can see the clear benefits of turning to a platform. Like this. They believe that products are improving and meeting required standards.

Matter Hackers

Then there are those turning to open-source platforms for help with software for 3D printing. MatterHackers developers are big fans of the open-source ethos because of the potential for improvement. The wide community of users means lots of free feedback to use to adjust current programming.

The influx of negative bug reports can be discouraging at first, but all these eyes were picking out problems just speeds up the process. It is a win-win situation for all concerned, with no regrets about open-sourcing the program. However, there are some companies that are less convinced.

Appsembler

It is clear that there are different ways to use, and take advantage of, an open-source platform. That is precisely what is happening with Open edX and Appsembler. Appsembler technicians head on over to this platform to provide support with hosting and custom development of projects.

The idea is essential to provide guidance and education via a free, accessible platform that anyone can use. The community element is what drives the project forward. It, therefore, won’t come as much surprise that this initiative started out in educational institutions. It was a joint project from collaborators at MIT and Harvard.

Squareknot

It is important to look at the pros and cons of going for an open-source platform because it won’t suit everyone. This is clear from the experiences of FrontlineSMS and Squareknot. Squareknot got involved in open-source, just not in every aspect of their projects.

 They have access to the open-source community for ideas and feedback. However, the final Squareknot product is not available. For them, the open-source ethos is all about providing building blocks and resources to help people build. It isn’t to simply hand over the finished article for free.

DataStax

Squarepusher is not the only option hedging its bets with both and paid and open-source option. However, it seems that DataStax is leaning further towards the idea of open-source. At the moment, 80% of commits come from DataStax alone.

Also, the company sells proprietary database software, so there are understandable concerns about open-source options. It is clear that they have a wider audience and more options thanks to this community-based option. It is the best form of advertisements and the best source of new clients.

Mapbox

Then there are those that start out with an open-source plan and proudly stick to it. Mapbox is a great example to end with because of the many ways they have embraced the attitudes of open-sourcing. The idea of sharing information and ideas was always important here.

The staff members, developers, and collaborators are all involved. There is always the nagging concern of theft, but the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. Now, even communications take place publicly. It is one of the most transparent set-ups around