Cost Efficiency | Stability | Flexibility | Freedom | Local Impact
Commercial software is expensive because of the need to pay licensing fees. It is also generally built for the latest hardware, which forces you to upgrade your processor speed and memory just to keep using new versions.
If you need help, it is usually available only for a fee. After all, service contracts are big business for software companies and as long as they keep the source code hidden, the company that writes (and sells) the software is the only one who really can understand and fix it.
Recycle
Open source software is cost-effective. It will often run well on older equipment - not just the latest and most expensive. Thus, existing hardware can be used longer, new hardware can be procured more affordably, and there is less pressure to upgrade.
Freedom of Information
As well, the basis of each open source software package is an online community of developers and users who freely share information about their programs. This makes it substantially easier to find someone else who has already encountered a similar problem and will provide help regarding its solution. Should you need extensive and more direct support, a range of companies specialize in helping organizations use open source software.
