Open Source and Software Upgrades

By Ron Bongo

When it comes time to upgrade to a new version of proprietary software -- take the Windows OS, for example -- many users feel burdened. Upgrades can mean an added expense for anything more extensive than a quick bug fix or minor feature upgrades.

Even free minor version upgrades of a software product can be time-expensive because of the need to back up files, uninstalling the older version and then installing the newest version. Then there is the additional task of importing saved data and taking the time to learn how the new features work.

Upgrading with Linux

Linux users, on the other hand, often look forward to upgrades. With a new distribution of KDE Latest News about KDE (K Desktop Environment) or Gnome, for example, powerful new features and functionality to the user interface are
Free both in time and cost.  Unlike upgrading Windows programs, Linux program upgrades are handled by the operating system See the HP Proliant DL380 G5 Server with Systems Insight Manager. That’s why Linux users usually can sit back and watch the Update Manager handle the task. With Open Source, upgrades are a pleasure because they increase your productivity without the burdens of upgrading proprietary software.

In addition, it is true that most open source projects make new releases fairly rapidly. This is because this process is usually community driven, even when there is a commercial entity involved. So users tend to look forward to helpful new features.

There is usually less surprise with open source upgrades. That’s because developers are always talking to their user base and they know what the users need before they deliver their upgrades.

The ongoing discourse between users and the development community for an open source project lets product users plan whether they want to do the upgrade or not. By contrast, proprietary companies are driven more by their own needs than the direct input of users.

Open Source Upgrades are faster
It takes at least 12 to 18 months for a new version of a proprietary product to reach market. In comparison, open source software may see several version upgrades every few months.