Open Source
Many things can be said about Open Source vs. commercial applications. This document tries to outline some Source concepts and the choices for Mod4U.
Closed Source
means that a vendor produced commercial software and sells licences, which give you the right to use a copy of this software. Many variants of such a licence exist. Anyway, if you would like a update of this software or a modification according to your needs, you are dependent of the original vendor. After all, you don't have the sources (programming code) of the software. Sometimes this causes problems which hinder your plans. Also, you could be faced with a so called "vendor lock-in", meaning that a vendor has made you dependent of his software. In this case you cannot simply switch to alternative software, because it is not possible to transfer applications or application data to your new software. In this case there are 2 possibilities; either continue with the existing situation or start with new software without data.
Shared Source
means that a vendor of Closed Source agrees to make sources available to a customer under certain conditions, like "for internal use only" etc. One of the reasons for a vendor to choose for this concept is the possibility to earn back product investments, while protecting the interests of customers. Microsoft is one of the vendors who uses this concept. Read more....
Open Source
means that a one or more programmers have produced software, often sponsored by large IT companies. The programming code and the program is made available for free download. The license which is applicable can have many variants. Usually you are fee to change the code, sometimes the original programmers require you to submit the changes and additions. The community of programmers is based on helping each other. You can get software for free and your contributions - if any - are appreciated, all without charging money for the programming. Revenues come from additional services like implementation, training etc. Some think that free software cannot be good. However, if such a project has enough programmers involved, the quality can be very good. Think of the operating system Linux, the popular webserver Apache and OpenOffice.
Mixed Source
means that a product is released as a commercial product (Closed Source) with full or additional functionality and a community edition (Open Source) with limited functionality (Dual license). Sometimes the commercial product includes extra services, like helpdesk support instead of community support. The popular database server MySql is a good example of such a product.
Mod4U
is a Shared Source product, since this concept fits the need for optimal security of your valuable online information. After all, we don't want potential hackers to know our security concepts. This would be like a open invitation for burglers to come and try to break into your house.
Normally customers need no source code, but for those who have strategical reasons to prefer to have it available, arrangements are possible. Each request for providing source codes is handled individually.
Mod4U works with open standards. Metadata, containing a description of the structure of the database is embedded in the application. Import and export of user data is therefore always possible. In case customers like to develop extensions, API docs are available. Those are generated according to open standards. This makes it possible to develop additional modules without having the original source codes available.
Nico den Boer, July 13th, 2006.