Open Source for Business

Why Open Source?

We first started experimenting with open source software for the obvious reason -- it's free. But we really didn't expect to find software mature and stable enough to rely on in our business operations. We operated from the perspective that commercial alternatives are always going to be better built and offer stronger support. Right?

Sadly, no. In fact our experiences have been exactly the opposite. We have found that most open source software projects with any degree of longevity and maturity are extremely well supported. And often they are better supported than the commercial alternatives. But that doesn't make any sense, does it?

Your Valuable Intellectual Property in Their Proprietary File Formats

What doesn't make sense to us here at Cyberian Frontier is the practice of storing our (and our client's) valuable intellectual property in someone else's proprietary file formats. What happens to your data 10 years from now when you have thousands of files with years worth of valuable information and the company that own's the rights to the format of those files decides to discontinue support for those file formats? Or how about paying hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars every year to perpetually upgrade the software you used to create those files -- just so you can continue to have access to your data.

We believe that the best way to secure our data and your data is to store information in open file formats whenever possible. So Cyberian Frontier has made a commitment to use open source software when we have that option and it fits the needs of the project at hand.

Supporting the Open Source Movement

Even though open source software is free, we believe that it's important to contibute something in return. We are committed to supporting the open source projects that we have come to depend on. That's why every time we deploy open source software for our clients we make a donation to the group that maintains that software in return. And we do our part to help support others using the software we're using by participating in open source software support forums and email lists.

If you are using open source software we ask that you consider contributing something to your favorite open source project. Whether that be a monetary donation or just helping to support others using that software. Thank you.

To learn more about the open source movement please visit OpenSource.org.