GNU GPL stands for GNU's Not Unix General Public License that describes the mainstay of free software. The first version of the license was develeoped by Richard Stallman and his collegues in 1989. Presently there is a third version of it.
Strenghts:
-Freedom to use, change, share the software according to ones needs(1)
-According to the license it can have unlimited amount of developers
-The source code can be revised and edited by any users according to the license
-Lot of Ministries in Estonia have started to use software based on open source to reduce the costs
Weaknesses:
- Operating systems like Windows XP or OS X are already pre-installed in new computer. People will most likely not change the operating system.
-Quite often the open software e.g Open Office has compatible problems with the other software like Windows office. As mostly users use the MS office sending our files in Open office format may cause unpleasentness.
Opportunities:
- The openness of software helps a lot for variety of developers to be in involved in production(write code, suggestion to development, share ideas an thought in community)
-It definitely help to launch lot of new applications that are useful to everybody.
Threats
-With the constant development and improvement of the open source software it has earned more and more fans. With a wider attention of publicity the software used under this license will go stronger and will become more used in computers.
-Eventually all new applications, services that have been free are going to be commercial. It is quite common that new products are promoted as free and when the users are a beginning to love it, it becomes not free any more.
So sum up the software of open source is very useful. It brings the internet and computers closer to more users and reduces the digital divide. The more the free open source software is beginning to be used the more new users attention it will attract.
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