Board index » delphi » OpenSource vs. Commercial

2005-07-29 03:58:28 AM
delphi16
Let's say there are 2 similar component sets for Delphi/BCB which do
something you will need in your next application. One is Open Source, the
other is Commercial, but not too expensive. Let's also say those components
are not trivial and your product's success depends on those components
stability, flexibility and robustness. At the moment, both component sets
seem to offer the same, but there's a lot of things you would like to be
added in the future.
What would you choose?
A) The Open Source project (free with source code), or
B) not-so-expensive commercial product (also with full source code)?
--
Danijel Tkalcec
RealThinClient Components
www.realthinclient.com
 

begin
Depends on the quality of the open source project and the quality/reputation
of the commercial product. It also depends on how long each has been going;
the longer the better.
Then some of it comes down to programmer aesthetic. Which has a
cleaner/nicer architecture, better code interface etc.
end;
 

It depends,
If end-product is commercial - I will lean towards commercial tools provided
the roadmap for future development is clear.
If end-product is freeware/shareware - I will go with open source (provided
I don't already own the commercial tool).
If I am forced to provide source code as condition for sale - I will go with
open source.
Srini.
"Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient)" <XXXX@XXXXX.COM>writes

Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) writes:
good a component is, if source is not available, we do not and will
never use it.
Then it depends ....for me, the Open Source is more attractive, because
it's possible that what you need is the same that other users will need,
so there's a bigger chance that this will be added, just as you need the
functions to be. If you choose to make the changes yourself, then you
can submit this for inclusion in future versions.
With the commercial set, you depend on requesting this from the
developers and they must, by nature, weigh all the other similar
requests and choose the most popular and economic route for develop. If
you choose to make the changes yourself, then you might change the
components enough so that upgrading future versions could be a problem.
Support and FAQ normally is not important for me ... if I have the
source, I will figure it out - it is the only way to really understand
what's going on in the code anyway.
 

Commercial every time ... 'priority' technical support is essential.
Regards
Mike
 

commercial product dies, there is a chance that support also dies. This
is true for open source as well, but often someone else continues work
and support. And while you have no support at all for some open source
solutions, others offer excellent support (with newsgroups etc.).
IMO more important is quality (again there is good and poor commercial
and open source software). And how many people are using a product, the
more the better, because it is very unlikely that it will die.
Jens
 

Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) writes:
are painting--I generally select commercial. Often for no other reason
than to get around some screwy licensing conditions.
Exceptions are things like JEDI for Delphi which I am quite comfortable
depending on. But overall, I would rather pay for commercial than get Open
Source for free when everything else is similar.
Steve Troxell
 

Hi Jens
Good point! I should have thought more about this before responding. Sorry
Danijel.
Regards
Mike
 

people have said they would go for the commercial product, but I only would
if it has a track record of frequent updates and future development,
otherwise I'd go OS.
Craig.
 

There is some point in time when there are virtualy no users of a product,
since the product is new. If everyone is waiting for someone else to start
using a product, then it would probably never come to the point where it has
a lot of users.
OpenSource products have a better chance to get more users faster, since
people don't have to pay to use it. I would also have to say (judging from my
point of view) that a lot of small companies have to turn every buck twice,
just to survive, so that a lot of them will first ask about the price (Open
Source can not be beaten) and check the product quality later.
But then again, a commercial product which generates profit for the author
(or copyright owner) is more likely to survive than an Open Source product
which doesn't have someone dedicated to keeping the product alive. And any
product which doesn't give enough in return to those spending time on it,
will eventualy end as Open Source (which will, at some point in time, also
come to a halt) or simply be abandoned and die. There are a lot of Open
Source products today, which started as commercial products but didn't pay
for the time invested, forcing developers to give up and find another way to
earn money for living.
SourceForge is full of unfinished projects and abandoned ideas.
--
Danijel Tkalcec
RealThinClient Components
www.realthinclient.com
 

use some well-recognised and highly reputable freeware products, eg
InnoSetup.
I think the main thing with OSS is knowing it has a strong team and support
base, that quality people are motivated to continue to develop it.
The same applies with commercial, but generally the vendors are motivated to
stick around and make more money.
I think I would generally be less enthusiastic about an open source product from
a single person as compared to OSS with a motivated base of users and
developers.
It's hard to answer the question in the abstract. The best answer is
probably 'it depends'.
Lauchlan M
 

Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) writes:
set is licensed per-pc, it won't work for me. If the components have
run-time royalties, it is a no go.
In my case, extracting cash from management is painful. it is also
problematic - how many small vendors accept PO's? How many will mail an
invoice to a government entity, and wait 30 days for payment? Oh, it is a
new vendor, you're not in our AP system, we need x, y, and z.
Generally, if the O/S project is good enough, I will take it, rather than
deal with the hassle. However, if for some reason I have got a windfall,
I'd rather purchase a commercial license.
-Brion
 

I'd go with the one with the best documentation, which is normally
the commercial version, but not always. If there wasn't clear winner
on documentation, then I would go with the one that had the best news
group support. And, that is actually the two biggest reasons that I
prefer to use Delphi. The help is pretty good, and the news groups
are great.
-- Larry Maturo
 

Jens Gruschel said...
went pffft. Great OpenSource more rare, but there are some extremely
high quality, excellent Borland specific VCL's. UIB/kbmMT/Synapse/JCL
come immediately to mind. I can not imagine commerical being any better
than those 1st 3.
--
Regards:
Jim McKay
"If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's
good enough for us."
- Miriam Amanda "Ma" Ferguson (1875-1961),
Governor of Texas (1925-1927, 1933-1935)
From speech advocating barring foreign language teaching
Posted with XanaNews: Ver: 1.17.5.7
 

Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) writes:
a philosophical preference to one or the other. Ask any Linux user ;-)
--
Pierre
Worrigee NSW
,-._|\
/ Oz \
\_,--._/
v
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security, will not
have, nor do they deserve, either one."
Benjamin Franklin