Explain the main difference between purchasing licensed software from a software manufacturer and using open source software.

Practical Management Science
6th Edition
ISBN:9781337406659
Author:WINSTON, Wayne L.
Publisher:WINSTON, Wayne L.
Chapter2: Introduction To Spreadsheet Modeling
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 20P: Julie James is opening a lemonade stand. She believes the fixed cost per week of running the stand...
icon
Related questions
Question

You began operating a small general electric contracting company two years ago. Originally, it was just you and your cousin, but it has grown to five licensed electricians, plus one office manager who takes calls from customers, schedules the work, and orders parts and supplies. Your company handles a wide range of work, including installing new circuit breaker panels, rewiring existing electrical systems for renovations and additions, and installing residential light fixtures, security lighting systems, swimming pool lighting, and ceiling fans.
Business has really taken off, and your current manual systems and procedures can no longer keep pace. The office manager has been exploring several options and has identified three different software packages designed for small contractors. Each one of the packages includes software designed for managing parts and supplies inventory, scheduling jobs, and invoicing customers. Two of the software packages are from large, well-known companies, and each has an initial licensing cost of approximately RM3,650 plus RM488 per year for software support. The other software package is open source software, with no initial cost and no support cost. The office manager is unsure how to proceed.
Required
a. Explain the main difference between purchasing licensed software from a software manufacturer and using open source software.

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Introduction to Business presentation
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, operations-management and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Practical Management Science
Practical Management Science
Operations Management
ISBN:
9781337406659
Author:
WINSTON, Wayne L.
Publisher:
Cengage,
Operations Management
Operations Management
Operations Management
ISBN:
9781259667473
Author:
William J Stevenson
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Operations and Supply Chain Management (Mcgraw-hi…
Operations and Supply Chain Management (Mcgraw-hi…
Operations Management
ISBN:
9781259666100
Author:
F. Robert Jacobs, Richard B Chase
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Business in Action
Business in Action
Operations Management
ISBN:
9780135198100
Author:
BOVEE
Publisher:
PEARSON CO
Purchasing and Supply Chain Management
Purchasing and Supply Chain Management
Operations Management
ISBN:
9781285869681
Author:
Robert M. Monczka, Robert B. Handfield, Larry C. Giunipero, James L. Patterson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Production and Operations Analysis, Seventh Editi…
Production and Operations Analysis, Seventh Editi…
Operations Management
ISBN:
9781478623069
Author:
Steven Nahmias, Tava Lennon Olsen
Publisher:
Waveland Press, Inc.