Open source may be superior in producing robust, reliable code. It can hold its own in providing functionality. But its weakness remains usability, which increasingly is the battle ­ground for competing programs. Finally, though, initiatives like the GNOME free desktop software for Unix have been closing the usability gap between open-source and commercial software. While open source may not solve the problem of bad software, it does offer many innovative possibilities. Most importantly, it demonstrates that when more people scrutinize code more closely, the effort can pay off in reliability. The jury is still out on usability.

Increased interest in privacy issues - particularly in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region - is driving interest in new software security solutions. This has combined with a change in attitude towards open-source solutions to create an opportunity for businesses.

Open-source continues to grow as a trend right across the globe, says Olivier Thierry, chief marketing officer (CMO) at Zimbra, a commercial open-source solutions provider.

One main driver behind this growth is an increased sense of concern about data privacy in the EMEA region. EMEA businesses tend to take a slightly different approach to their US counterparts, considering data privacy as an integral part of overall security and placing a significant emphasis on it, he adds.

“There’s a greater propensity to look at open-source due to service and data privacy – a much more important business consideration in EMEA when compared to the US,” Thierry says. “Consumers and businesses in the US tend to give away their rights to data privacy by doing things like giving names away to use for various market tools in return for minor benefits. The US values encryption and security but data privacy is taken as a little less important, whereas in the EU it’s considered a fundamental human right.”

This has led EMEA companies to look at open-source solutions as a way to provide greater data privacy and security. It has also led to many companies looking to base servers outside of US jurisdiction due to increased intervention from national security agencies. This has added to interest in open-source solutions as they are not linked to a country of origin (and thus not subject to its specific data privacy laws) and are customisable for specific regions or countries