Open Source CMS why use it?

open-source-cms
Open source CMS
or content management systems is software whose source code has been released to users worldwide. The different users come up with different changes that make the system more productive or adaptive to different situations. This ensures that the system does not become obsolete in a very shot time span or that it doesn’t loose its value by working only in the environment it was created to thrive in. Open source developers work hard to make sure that they come up with new workable solutions to any hitches that the open source users are experiencing. Also they work tirelessly to create new applications that work well to cut the amount of work users have to do to get the best out of it.

Not everyone believes in open source software for their content management. However, there are a number of advantages that come along with open source CMS which make it the ideal system for many websites in the world.

Advantages of using open source software for you CMS needs:

Support Forums

The community of open source developers consists of several hundred if not more people all in different time zones. This ensures that all your support needs are met 24/7 and that you have someone to turn to when you need help. As a matter of fact many open source development firms have an online support forum where you get all your questions answered. Also they publish online tutorials in video, audio and written formats to guide users through the systems and applications.

Reduced Costs
With open source software you need not spend a penny. This is because the nature of their license states that their systems are entirely free of charge. This is the complete opposite of the proprietary content management systems which charge up to several thousand dollars/ pounds or Euros for that system. There is also an additional cost of getting this system installed and customized by their technical team. With open source content management the only expense you will incur is the cost of hiring competent open source developers. Of course there are advantages to using proprietary systems as you would not have to spend hours crawling through the forums, but if you are on a tight budget you might still prefer to use an open source CMS.

Modification and customization
All open source software companies give free access to the source code and give a free license to open source developers allowing them to alter the code on condition that the end product of that alteration is provided for free. These modified versions are all available for you the end user to use on your website in any way you please. This is probably the biggest advantage to open source users as they get a better product than what was originally created.


Search engine friendly

With an open source software and the right open source developers, you website will rank very high in the search engines without much ado. Open source software can create custom page titles, friendly URL’s, permalinks and Meta tags or descriptions. All these go a long way in ensuring that your site is ranking appropriately or even up there on the first page of any search engine.

Variety of Software

You have a variety of available open source CMS systems differing in complexity, power and ease of use ranging from WordPress CMS to Joomla as well Drupal CMS.


Flexibility in hosting and developers

Unlike the proprietary content management systems, open source systems do not tie you down to one provider. Since the open source developers continue to modify and create better working environments for this software, there are several options to choose from and there are no restrictions to prevent you from moving. Also, there are several developers at hand to help you move or repair any problems you encounter.

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