The Movement toward Free and Open Source Software

It would seem we are amidst a revolution when it comes to developing new websites. While free to download software has been around for years, Open Source programs and software are changing the way we think about web design and the applications we use. Software such as Wordpress, Magento and Drupal have become household names, partly because they are free to download, partly because they are feature rich and partly because they are very powerful.

Open Source works because it relies on a global community of developers, programmers and designers to enhance, add and enrich the software for the benefit of users. Many of my clients now have websites powered by Open Source programs and because these programs continue to develop and grow, I can continue to offer unique websites tailored to my client’s requirements and within a budget they can afford.

But what about using Open Source in other industries such as education? Because of its flexibility, Open Source programs can offer educational establishments a cost effective way of teaching and developing student’s skills in areas such as programming, web development and web design. Setting up a school blog site is a simple enough task, whilst more advanced users may want to set up social sites for students to incorporate not only their own faculty or institution but to be able to partner with others across the world.

With Open Source it would seem that the sky is definitely no limit to the opportunities it presents both in business and personal website development. Its flexibility combined with affordability means it is rapidly becoming the weapon of choice for users and developers alike, whatever industry they may be in.