Open Source

Open source software is common these days, from programs such as Open Office to Linux operating systems. We are provided with plenty of free versions of the software big corporations are attempting to charge hundreds of dollars for. Of course, there are pros and cons as usual that come with free software. The pros are first, it's free! Secondly, there are often cool and very useful features added to make the users life better. The cons are, however, it's free! Interestingly enough, people don't want to put as much effort into something they aren't getting paid to make. I have found, from personal experience, that the open source versions of software are a lot less reliable than their costly competitors. Linux lacks the support and compatibility of Macs and Windows. Open Office has many features, but they don't always work as intended and the documents don't port their formatting to other word processors. Many open source programs are prone to freezing and unexpected behavior, probably due to lack of thorough testing. After all, who wants to waste their time testing something they aren't being paid to produce?