Re: Irfanview, a better example: was: Re: Why Aren't Open Source Tools Being Considered?

[David Neeley <dbneeley -at- gmail -dot- com>]

John,

I addressed two things: first, that not all free software is difficult
to install; and second, that some free programs are well worth knowing
about for their outright usefulness and quality.

Also, of course, I wanted to be sure that others are aware of Irfanview.

There are commercial programs with installer problems and with
sometimes complex prerequisites--it is only that in open source these
are somewhat more common than in commercial software. That is a
situation that is rapidly changing for the better.

However, I also have problems with commercial programs that seem to
expect that they are the only ones to be concerned with, and which
ignore what is already on my system. Programs that want to install a
Java runtime environment, even though the one I have is newer than the
one they want to install (or, worse yet, that want to install
Microsoft's version rather than the latest Sun product!)...or that
want to install the .Net software when it, too, is already on my
system.

Thus, I have no particular view that one kind of license means
inevitably that it will be superior in any significant detail than
another.

In addition, the open source movement itself is rapidly maturing, with
issues such as installation routines becoming much higher priority
than they were only a year or two ago.

Personally, when I perceive a need that must be filled by adding
software, I look at the various alternatives available. When I have a
potential candidate, I usually will install it on a test system, to
determine if there are any "gotchas" involved--especially when it is
being considered for a line-of-business use.

If the entire equation--of which license type is only one aspect--is
strongly in favor of one solution over another, that is what I
recommend or acquire.

If two programs are otherwise equivalent, and one is open source and
the other not, unless I have serious concerns about issues of support
and longevity I will normally go with the open source solution.

However, to choose any program casually is, I believe, a mistake. If
you don't consider all facets of its use, including learning curve,
installation, support, known bugs, and how it will fit into the
toolchain--there is simply too much involved that can create problems.

The times this does not obtain, though, are with programs that are not
terribly important.

I would, however, like to know what software was made unstable by
OpenOffice.org.

David

On 8/18/05, John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:

> My choice of that Open Source program was for example of what my
> expereince has been with OS software in general, and it was the first
> OS application that came to my mind. I did not pick it because I
> needed an image application (I don't) and I did not pick it because I
> knew what situation I'd come across....except that past experience
> with OS made me feel it was likely that I'd expereince it the way I
> did.

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