For a long time, open source was seen by many businesses as a hobbyist’s tool – fine for tech enthusiasts, but not suitable for real-world enterprise use. This perception still lingers, but it’s long outdated. In reality, many of today’s most powerful platforms and applications run on open source – successfully, securely, and at scale.
Applications like Dolibarr, Nextcloud, and Jitsi prove that open-source solutions are not only feature-rich but fully enterprise-ready. With professional hosting, ongoing maintenance, and dedicated support, they easily rival proprietary systems – often offering greater flexibility and no licensing traps.
Still, many businesses instinctively rely on providers like Microsoft or Google, even when those are not always the best fit for their needs. Open source offers not only an economically attractive alternative, but also makes it easier to implement privacy standards like the GDPR – something that is often lacking in big tech ecosystems.
Ultimately, it’s also a matter of philosophy. Back in the 1980s, Richard Stallman said something that’s more relevant today than ever:
“Software should do what the user wants, not what the developer wants.”
That’s exactly where open source shines: it gives companies control over their digital infrastructure. No hidden processes, no dependencies, no forced updates or unwanted features. Instead: transparency, adaptability, and real digital autonomy.
Choosing open source is not rejecting innovation – it is embracing a sustainable, transparent, and sovereign IT strategy.