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As content management systems (CMS) continue to grow in popularity, many webmasters and website owners are moving toward open-source software. This type of software offers a great deal of opportunity for improvement, expansion and customization. The CMS world is no different and this should be taken full advantage of by the open-source CMS community, especially in these financially difficult times.

There are many reasons to choose open source CMS software over competing business systems. These advantages include:

• Cost
• Stability/performance
• Safety
• Support

The main reason user’s switch to open-source software of any kind is cost. Open-source is a free version of code created by a community of programmers and developers. In these difficult times, the most economical type of software is those that are free. To cut costs, many businesses are transferring to open source solutions while continuing to maintain the same quality and consistency offered by commercial systems.

The second advantage is the stability and performance provided by this type of software. Since open source CMS solutions tend to have a broader installation, they are more extensively tested and improved through those experiences in a professional environment. There are no target ship dates for open source CMS software because it is constantly being updated and expanded to ensure consistency and robustness.

The third benefit is safety in the code. Commercial software systems are all closed source meaning the code is hidden. Therefore, gaps, bugs and harmful code cannot be identified in advance, thus it cannot be corrected upstream. Finally, support is always a major factor in all software systems. With open source CMS solutions, there are extensive forums and emailing lists to contact experts for support, all of which is free.

When searching for a CMS, it is important to find one that is right for the needs of your business, be it commercial or open source. Each offer their own advantages and disadvantages, however, if it comes down to cost, open source may turn out to be the most efficient solution.

Although commercial systems will never replace open-source alternatives, they do provide excellent competition will their many appealing advantages, especially cost. The software industry as a whole is turning more toward extensively supported software compared to commercial options. Companies continue to switch to open source CMS solutions each day because it fits their business model best and improves their online presence.