Author: Rajat Singhal These opinions are strictly my own based on my own observations and experiences with both kinds of software and trying to understand the dynamics at play in each environment. I’m sure others share similar opinions. Also note that these are sweeping generalities and caricatures, but I think provide a good starting model for critiquing both. The main Gap between Open Source and commercial tools is licensing. Using the Open Source Edition (under the GPL license) obligates you to share your source code without restrictions with the users of your program. Using the GPL also means you may not demand compensation for or limit subsequent re-use and re-distribution of the source code. You need the commercial license if you want to avoid these obligations. Open source Functional Tools The reason many users originally try an open source solution (myself included) is price. An open source functional tool will be significantly cheaper than a commercial functional tool. As with many open source programs, because the code is “open,” the opportunities for customization are also greater than they are for a commercial functional tool. Depending on your functional tool needs, there may very well be an existing open source functional tool that will fulfill ... more