Open Source: what has won, what you can win and its weaknesses.

The open source or open source are softwares or hardwares where you have at your disposal the code to modify it and use it freely. There are several fields where open source has clearly won the owners, we speak many services of servers, most are operating systems based on Linux and servers Apache, in other areas they are competitive but not the best or not there are so many options, for example 3D editing Blender is powerful and has nothing to envy to its competition, but there are many proprietary programs and each specialized in different branches , but more importantly the vision and the places where they can get to be the best and here I will put the Arduino example (although it is not software if not rather free hardware) which has been extended as a platform for study and for many projects, but it has a great expectation to be the best in the future.

The idea of this post is show that software exists its alternative open source and where is should focus on projects to improve this philosophy.

Open Source as a leader

As already are commented there are many softwares where the open source already is leader still having competition of programs owners already it is, that not implies that can lose its position.

WEB SERVER		Web servers are responsible for tell your PC what you see when entering a web page, one of the most widespread is Apache, with ability to insert dynamic web pages in PHP. Even other options like Nginx are also open source.
CMS WEBSITES		The CMS is software that facilitate us life to create web pages in this case, with simple systems we can create our site in a matter of minutes and to modify it just as easily, our greatest exponent is WordPress, but there is also Drupal and Joomla among others.
DATABASES		The databases, as its name indicates, us allow add information usually ranked, MySQL is the more extended followed of PostgreSQL in them calls relational, mongodb is it not relatable by excellence, all them open source.
ECOMERCE		Also e-commerce applications lead open source, magneto, prestashop and some plugin for wordpress.
FTP		FTP is the Protocol for exchanging files between computers. Both server Fillezilla Server as client Fillezilla Client, are the most used for this application.
PASSWORD MANAGER		Software to manage passwords, remember that not is insurance use the same PASS for each site that we register. For this reason, it is recommended that everyone have this programilla on your computer, phone or tablet.
VIDEO AND AUDIO		Perhaps it is overly optimistic to say that it is the most widely used in its genre, but VCL is the best software for visualization of audio and video, is free and open.

Alternative Open Source

So open source is gradually winning philosophy we know that software should use and where should improve on their alternatives. They will face the alternative more known commercial against the open source. There are many more software on both sides but the goal is to show that you have good each part and improve open source to make it more competitive.

Service	Commercial	Alternative	Advantages	Disadvantages
OPERATING SYSTEM			Safer Different versions (distributions), more configurable, the most widespread user-level is Ubuntu. Much software open source. Community It allows many more options.	Many manufacturers of hardware not create drivers, but the community if it does. Much proprietary software does not take off their products for Linux. Joined the previous video game companies only made for Windows.
OFFICE AUTOMATION			More manageable Most known and implemented	The new versions of MS Office create incompatibilities with Open Office that is usually go resolving.
ERP			Programmed in Python by which you can create your own modules. You can hire service 24 h (not synonymous with open source of «free») Great community that can help and advise. Manuals and information in English and Spanish.	SAP and Microsoft Dynamics are better consolidated in the market.
Drawing vector			You don’t have a real advantage, it is a matter of custom and tastes. There are designers who use Illustrator and other Inkscape. Admittedly, most believe that Illustrator has more options.	Illustrator is much more implanted. Less features. There are many commercial alternatives apart from the Illustrator as Corel Draw.
Photo retouching			Of equal way that the previous not is a question of quality if not of preferences, but in this case Gimp this more extended (respect to Inkscape). Most also think that Photoshop has many more options.	PhotoShop much more implanted. Those files from photoshop are the standard of the photographers.
3D editing			Really Blender is a great program used by many designers 3D, if that really is a question of tastes, many are of Maya, others of Blender and others of 3DStudio or Rinhocerus and so according to that works is best one or another.	Even being as good as commercial software, while open Source only have Blender as a candidate to highlight, in their commercial competition have Maya, 3DStudio and Rhinocerus, each with strengths and weaknesses.
Math			There are no major differences, Octave is compatible with the functions which we believe to MATLAB.	MATLAB has many more users. In principle, Octave has no graphical environment, but there are additional tools to install it.

Where improve?

There are basically two places where the open source must improve: Software technical and video games. Even though it will not improve in these two fields versions are created almost solely and exclusively for Windows, damaging the migration to Linux. In the case of technical software if that is necessary, at least in what is editing CAD/CAM, programs like Solid Works or Catia do not have an Open Source alternative that will allow us to design a piece, generate your G-Code and simulate physical processes such as transmission of heat or fluid dynamics. Another area 3D every day taking a more force are softwares BIN, which does not cease to be simulation 3D construction and installations of buildings and which are somewhat different from the previous post that are used to calculate the structures, sections of cable, simulation of thermal insulation…  but equally they have no choice in Open Source. Therefore this is the leg where more lame in my opinion where most should work. In all other branches as we have seen, many already dominates the market for open software source and others there are quite reasonable alternatives.

Piracy and Open Source

I thought I need to write about how piracy affects Open Source and is clearly very negative, although it seems that who further damage does is to proprietary programs, in my opinion I think is backwards. The best example that can be created is with Matlab and Octave (or its variants), they are compatible and they have many common features. If in my student days, it was very easy to have a pirate Matlab to test, or not say, to «mess» with him, you don’t need to download the octave, many teachers know this and don’t come with bad eyes this use, which is completely fraudulent, piracy, in the end the students adapt to Matlab and companies with all their accustomed to this environment workers prefer to spend money on licenses that use open source , since, can get more expensive in training. Of form similar Windows and a distribution any Linux, you would happen it himself, find administrative that using Linux is more complicated, since many it have pirate in your PC. Why are legal and do not use piracy download Open Source.

Vision of future

Open source is a trend on the rise, there are increasingly more applications with this philosophy to replace the proprietary features that improve day to day by the community, may be the work of programmers adapt systems open source to the needs of companies, rather than creating specific software. Although proprietary programs will never disappear and it is logical, as in the case of a video game it is very difficult to be entirely open and really good games.

Conclusion

Although it seems that I am a revolutionary, which Che Guevara, of computer science, I am not against the software owners think that balance is the key, in fact there are pay within the open source applications enriches it (such as wordpress plug-in) and ultimately developers must earn money with their work. But the open source believe that it is as technological volunteerism of our century if I make a proprietary web application, I can share part of the code, which deems that not damage my client, since I certainly also used other so many of other people. My intention is to raise awareness to everyone who we are dedicated to technology to be more supportive in this aspect and the way is sharing and donating (clear money best software can do). One of the great advantages of open software is your community if there is a problem on Linux someone somewhere in the world can fix it (not always happens is very bad hackers who take advantage) while finding a vulnerability in Windows only you can send an email to Microsoft, and if they have time they solve them.