15th August 2008, 02:43 PM
I'm actually quite optimistic about the future use and availablity (for all) of Open Source alts to the purchased software.
There's already quite a lot out there that doesn't require specialist knowledge to use. In case you haven't come across these before:
http://www.openoffice.org/
http://www.inkscape.org/index.php?lang=en
http://www.gvsig.gva.es/index.php?id=gvsig&L=2
http://www.gimp.org/
This list is almost endless....
The way Open Source works is that if you modify/enhance the code for an Open Source application - you then make that code available for all. Open source wouldn't survive otherwise. As for built-in support - most of the help I get (both for Open source and bought software) comes of the numerous forums/user groups that are out there. It's only for the really obscure specialist software that I sometimes have to go directly to the software engineers.
Maybe it comes down to individuals and their own personal ethos - I've never had any problems sharing knowledge/giving guidance on software/hardware to others outside my own unit - even competitors.
ShadowJack
There's already quite a lot out there that doesn't require specialist knowledge to use. In case you haven't come across these before:
http://www.openoffice.org/
http://www.inkscape.org/index.php?lang=en
http://www.gvsig.gva.es/index.php?id=gvsig&L=2
http://www.gimp.org/
This list is almost endless....
The way Open Source works is that if you modify/enhance the code for an Open Source application - you then make that code available for all. Open source wouldn't survive otherwise. As for built-in support - most of the help I get (both for Open source and bought software) comes of the numerous forums/user groups that are out there. It's only for the really obscure specialist software that I sometimes have to go directly to the software engineers.
Maybe it comes down to individuals and their own personal ethos - I've never had any problems sharing knowledge/giving guidance on software/hardware to others outside my own unit - even competitors.
ShadowJack