BorlandTalk.com Borland discussion newsgroups   Archives   FAQ   Search   Memberlist   Usergroups   Register   Profile   Log in to check your private messages   Log in  OpenSource vs. Commercial Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next          BorlandTalk.com Forum Index -> Delphi Thirdparty Tools (General) View previous topic :: View next topic   Author Message Danijel Tkalcec (RealThin Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:58 pm    Post subject: OpenSource vs. Commercial 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 http://www.realthinclient.com Back to top Brian Moelk Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:05 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Quote: 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)? with IMO do 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; -- Brian Moelk [email]bmoelk (AT) NObrainendeavorSPAM (DOT) FORc[/email]omME http://www.brainendeavor.com Back to top Srinivasan Iyer Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:37 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial 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)" <dtkalcec (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote Quote: 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 http://www.realthinclient.com Back to top nospam Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:42 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) wrote: Quote: 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)? For me, having the source is most important of all - regardless of how 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's the only way to really understand what's going on in the code anyway. Back to top Mike Noordermeer Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:23 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Quote: 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)? Hi Danijel Commercial every time ... 'priority' technical support is essential. Regards Mike Back to top Jens Gruschel Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:46 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Quote: Commercial every time ... 'priority' technical support is essential. While I agree to some degree I think it's hard to generalize. If a 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's very unlikely that it will die. Jens Back to top Steve Troxell Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:53 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) wrote: Quote: 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)? All other things being equal--and it sounds like that's the scenario you 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'd rather pay for commercial than get Open Source for free when everything else is similar. Steve Troxell Back to top Mike Noordermeer Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:30 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Hi Jens Good point! I should have thought more about this before responding. Sorry Danijel. Regards Mike Back to top Craig Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:31 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Quote: 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)? I think it all comes down to future development of the components. Most 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 would go OS. Craig. Back to top Danijel Tkalcec (RealThin Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:35 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial 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'd 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't 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 http://www.realthinclient.com Back to top Lauchlan M Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:45 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Quote: 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)? I generally lean strongly towards commercial components, but also happily 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'd 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 Back to top Brion L. Webster Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:52 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) wrote: Quote: 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)? The most important thing in my opinion is the licensing. If the component set is licensed per-pc, it won't work for me. If the components have run-time royalties, it's a no go. In my case, extracting cash from management is painful. It's 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's 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'll take it, rather than deal with the hassle. However, if for some reason I've got a windfall, I'd rather purchase a commercial license. -Brion Back to top Larry Maturo Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:58 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial 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'd 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 Back to top Jim McKay Guest Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:28 pm    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Jens Gruschel said... Quote: Commercial every time ... 'priority' technical support is essential. While I agree to some degree I think it's hard to generalize. If a 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's very unlikely that it will die. Fully agree. I've bought commercial stuff that was great, and some 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't 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 Back to top Pierre Guest Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:20 am    Post subject: Re: OpenSource vs. Commercial Danijel Tkalcec (RealThinClient) wrote: Quote: 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)? There may be other factors at work as well. For example, one might have 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." 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