The Risks and Rewards of Open Source Software
When evaluating ERP vendors, one of the most important factors to consider is whether or not your organization can rely on the vendor for maintenance and support services. What if you find a bug in your system that needs to be fixed? What if you need upgrades or regulatory updates? If you don’t invest in maintenance or support, don’t count on your ERP vendor to be there for you when times get tough. Although most proprietary software vendors include maintenance fees as part of the initial cost, open source software providers usually do not include these fees. This can lead the customer to believe that important services, like maintenance, are not really necessary investments. In reality, maintenance is extremely important and your organization will assume a high level of risk if it invests in an open source ERP system without paying for maintenance and support. Following is a list of several advantages and disadvantages of open source software that your or...