Is GNU and Open Source software worth the costs and risks?
From Joomla! Documentation
It's difficult, if not impossible, to argue against the value proposition of GNU and Open Source software, although some have tried. Due to zero licensing fees, lower administrative overhead, high-quality code, security releases that are distributed in minutes or hours rather than months or marketing cycles, and free online support from thousands of like-minded developers and users, GNU and Open Source offerings are often the best solution. The math is really quite compelling:
| Applications | Industry Leader | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| GNU/Linux | Yes | 0 |
| Apache Web Server | Yes | 0 |
| MySQL Relational Database | Yes | 0 |
| PHP Scripting Language | Yes | 0 |
| Joomla! Content Management System | Yes | 0 |
| Thousands of Joomla Extensions | Varies | 0 |
| Support | Relative Quality | Cost |
| Joomla! Project Leadership Team | High | 0 |
| Joomla! Forge | High | 0 |
| Joomla! Online Forums | High | 0 |
| Joomla! Documentation | Medium | 0 |
| Thousands of Online Volunteers | High | 0 |
| Paid Professional Support | Widely Available | 0 |
| Total | 0 |