Open Source
What is Open Source and why will your company benefit from it? On this page we will try to give you a crash course in Open Source so you'll understand better why Prism Open Source almost exclusively uses Open Source programs to power their servers.
Open Source Community
Open Source applications are developed on a designated website by the so-called Open Source Community. The applications they make are generally made out of discontent with the existing (commercial) applications. From this website, everyone can freely download the application, start adding components to it and make the existing components better.
Quality
Several studies have proven the ability of Open Source applications to compete on an equal basis with commercial applications. Some studies have even concluded Open Source applications are better than their commercial counterparts. Although we cannot speak for every application, we believe Squirrelmail is one of the best web-based email application today. This is due to the fact that it is a light-weight application and also due to the fact it is free of charge!
Advantages
Key advantages for Open Source include:
- Lower total cost of ownership
- Reduced dependence on software vendors
- Easier to customize
- Higher level of security