We have all heard of open source software. Many of us have even seen it in action (e.g., the Firefox web browser or the Thunderbird email program). One nagging concern still blocks many people from actually using open source software: how do you get technical support?
Certainly paid support is the easy-to-find option for many programs, including all commercial products. Open source software support often comes from active communities of users. Just as you depend on your neighbors for hints about local restaurants, you can rely on your virtual neighbors for help in using software.
Cameron Sturdevant of eWEEK put it very well:
When an open-source application has a user community the size of Nagios’, eWEEK Labs agrees that lack of paid support should not be a deterrent to enterprise implementation—or at least serious consideration. We encourage organizations to drop “paid support” from their requests for proposal. Rather, look for “formal” support, such as an active community listserv and a track record of released updates. (Quoted from eWEEK, Currency Firm Trades on Open Source.)
The next time you are considering a piece of open source software, go ahead, give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to get the help that you need.
