Why Open Source?

We prefer open source software as the base for developing our web applications. That's not just because generally speaking it's FREE:usually open source software is more robust and secure than proprietary alternatives. That's because thousands of expert programmers around the world can all see the code that runs the application.

Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The availability of open source code leads to faster discovery of security issues, and faster resolution of these issues. Everyone can access the source code so any weaknesses tend to get spotted early and patches can be provided very quickly. Bugs tend to get fixed more quickly due to the collaborative power of the community. We have found that we sometimes get 24 hour turnaround of bug fixes in CiviCRM when we've reported them. I don't know of any commercial company that responds like that with patches to its proprieatry software.

Access to the source code also allows us to modify parts of the program or otherwise help to develop specific functionality for a client. In some cases, we are then able to release this back to the community or aid in testing prior to release. We find this way of working leads to virtuous circles and very much reduced development times, which in turn leads to lower costs. It also means we can spend more time on user interface and accessibility issues.

Is it open source all the way down?

No. We're not zealots and we don't just use open source software because we like the idea of it. We are pragmatic professionals and we choose the best tools for the job. Having said that, nearly all the systems we use are actually open source. Our hosting platform is Linux and Apache in common with most of the web. Our database applications all run on MySQL, and of course our own website, intranet and CRM systems are all built on open source products such as Drupal and CiviCRM. But of course we also use Mac OS X and Windows machines running proprietary applications like Photoshop, Word and Excel - again because they're just the best tools.

More Information

You can find a full definition of open source software and a list of all the available open source licences at the The Open Source Initiative (OSI). In what we think is good news, Bristol City Council have moved to Star Office.