Hippo

We believe in Open Source software

Open Source has now demonstrated its right to exist by the enormous popularity of software such as Linux, Mozilla Firefox and Apache web server. Open Source products have become a serious alternative to the many so-called “closed source” packages.

If your organisation is considering acquiring software, continuity and professional support are very important. One problem is that the open source world can initially seem to be difficult for the uninitiated to fathom and that (particularly) with open source you have to be able to tell the good from the bad.

For successful open source projects, there are often a variety of suppliers offering support and guarantees. You, the customer, have a clear point of contact and can expect the same level of service and support as from closed source suppliers.

If you choose a professional supplier of open source software, you will avoid many problems. Do make sure that the suppliers are in a position to fulfil the promises made and that they are genuinely able to influence the project. Support and continuity are then guaranteed, and you can make the most of the benefits offered by open source software.

There are a few international institutions that open source projects can join. The best-known and largest organisation in this field is the Apache Software Foundation. Projects within this group are checked for usability, architecture, technological innovation and conformity to open standards.

A few simple guidelines and actions that help you distinguish between good and bad projects are given below:

  • successful open source projects have large and internationally-based development groups and user groups;
  • the project is technologically forward-looking;
  • the documentation of the open source project is in order (check whether there is documentation and look to see if books have been published about it, e.g. on Amazon.com);
  • good open source projects comply with open standards.

Hippo participates structurally in Apache Software Foundation projects. This makes Hippo the leading open source supplier in the Netherlands.