brieng1 wrote:How does the eValid crew feel about open-source software testing products?
There is a lot of controversy about "open source" projects, and it isn't appropriate to add fuel this fiery controversy.
Suffice it to say that yes, we have tracked a number of "open source" activites that operate in the same technical areas as eValid, and some of the work is quite good. Even so, we see a lot of issues that seem to be skipped over in such offerings -- issues that real-world testers have to face.
For example, as eValid users know, the product has a built-in "application mode" -- not as sophisticated as the browser mode, but sufficient for key purposes. You use application mode to handle processing a Windows modal dialog (e.g. an FTP download), or responding to a Windows process that feeds data into your browser activity.
This kind of multi-modal support is what you mostly do NOT find in the "open source" project offerings. So if you are facing a practical requirement, yes, the "open source" solution is free, but to make it work can cost you a lot of time and effort. Most projects recognize that a commercially supported product -- where WE take the heat if something doesn't work -- is less expensive and more effective in the long run.
And yet...some organizations have lots of staff time that appears to be "free" and in that case the use of "free" software with "free labor" seems to be an argument that is hard to counter. Go figure...
-- eValid Licensing
by brieng1 » Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:30 pm