Software Types

• Have you have heard about "Open Source" Programs or "Open Platform".
• Do You know what "Proprietary" Programs are?
• What about "Shareware"?

  There Are Three Different Kinds of Software Available:

   

1.  Open Source Programs:

What makes a program Open Source is that the code is "Open to the Public" and you  don't buy it, it's free. Open Source programs are created and supported by a network of designers, programmers, technicians and just plain ole people like you and me who enjoy building programs that can be used on the Internet by others.  Many users of Open Source software believe that the programs are "equal to" or "better than" their Proprietary equivalents.

The general public is free to access the program code of Open Source programs.  They can read it, modify it, play with it, and make improvements to it, or make new versions of it.

There are many types of Open Source Software, mainly differing in the licensing terms under which altered copies of the source code can be redistributed to the public.

Examples of Open Source Programs:

• Linux (server operating system)
• Apache (web server software)
• PHP (an embedded scripting language)
• MySQL (an SQL database program)
• Nvu (Basic Wed Design)
• Perl (a text manipulation programming language)
• OpenOffice (A package of programs containing a Word processor, spreadsheet, database and others.)

Depending on which program you are using, you might not be able to pick up the phone and call a support person or talk with customer service.  If you have a question or problem, you may have to ask it by email and then wait for a reply.

But, if you find a bug in your program, and you get a hold of the right person, they might be able to make a quick fix that you can download in a few days or a few weeks.

2.  Proprietary Programs:

You pay for Proprietary programs and have to secure a license in order to use them.  They are created and supported by companies who sell them to make a profit and generally the code can not be accessed and changed by the general public.

Examples of Proprietary software

• Microsoft Server 2003 (web server and operating system)
• Windows (an operating system)
• MS SQL (an SQL database program from Microsoft)
• FrontPage (Web Design Program
• Dreamweaver (Web Design Program)
• Flash (Motion Graphics and Interactivity)
• Microsoft Office (A package of programs containing a Word processor, spreadsheet,  database and others.) 

In most cases, you can call a support person, technician or customer service any day and sometimes 24/7.

But, if you find a bug in your program, and report it to the right person, it could be months or years before the problem is addressed, or if the company feels it is not a significant problem, it might not take any action at all.

3.  Shareware Programs:

Shareware programs are copyrighted software that is available for personal use and generally can be downloaded off the Internet by the public.  They are often free, but the authors or distributors usually ask for a small one time fee from users who find the software useful.

Sometimes the fee is not required until after an evaluation period.  So basically, the software is distributed on the honor system.  After paying the registration fee, you become registered with the distributor or author so you can receive service assistance and updates.

Examples of Shareware Programs:

• Paint.NET  A good paint program like Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop.
• Picasa from Google.  Allows you to edit, organize and share photos.
• Expression from Microsoft  (A sophisticated graphics program with three-dimensional graphics)

Shareware is protected by copyright laws, but sometimes you will be allowed to copy the programs for others without infringing on the copyright, but the folks who receive the copies will also be expected to pay the fee if they use the program.

Which One Should You Use?

• Some people "Live and Die" by Open Source programs and think it's the only way to go.
• Some people "Live and Die" by Proprietary programs and think it's the only way to go.
• Some people "Live and Die" by Shareware programs and think it's the only way to go.

I'm not going to try and sway you in any one direction.  Each type has Pros and Cons and each person has to decide what they like and are comfortable with.  You don't have to use only one type of program on a Web Server,  you can "mix and match" them.

• The advantage of using Proprietary programs is that you can trust them and know that they are supported, but they cost money.
• The advantage of using Open Source programs is that they are free and generally trustworthy, but might have limited or no user support.
• The advantage of using Shareware programs is that they are generally basic programs that are easy to learn, but it's hard to know what you might be getting when you download them (unless you get them from a reputable company).

My recommendation is that no matter which programs you use:

1. Check to make sure that all the programs you plan to use will work on the same Web Server under the same hosting package. (Such as Unix, Linux, Windows, etc.)
   
2. Make sure that all programs will interact with each other without problems.  (Such as using an Open Source Database with a Shareware Web Design program.)
   
3. Be sure that the programs that need to share files can create files or documents that can be read by the other programs. (Such as trying to read an Open Office Document using a Microsoft Office Program.)

In the next topic on Web Design Tools, I'll talk about HTML Editors and GUI Programs for writing HTML and designing Websites and where you can get some FREE programs.

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