The digital age has revolutionized marketing with the inception of digital marketing. However, digital marketing is not simple as it requires many content related algorithms of search engines to be followed. All these requirements of digital marketing can comply with the help of Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress and Joomla.
CMS provides various plugins to their client businesses to offer assistance in digital marketing. A Plugin is an additional software added to a computer program or application to add new features to it. A plugin can also provide many other advantages. For example, web browsers make use of browser extension plugins like adobe flash player, and Quicktime.
Uses of plugins
These Plugins can only be used by the businesses for a limited enhancement to their application. However, if a CMS provides its client business with Open Source Plugins, then the client can further modify and restructure the plugins as per various requirements. It is the fundamental difference between open source plugins and other plugins, wherein open source plugins can be readily modified and used in different ways for different requirements. For example, WordPress provides its client business with many open source plugins such as Easy image gallery, Hash buddy, and Pinterest ‘pin it’ button. As a result, WordPress is the most popular and successful CMS supporting 75 Million client business websites across the globe and providing 44000 plus different plugins.
However, as a rational Content manager, you might think that it will not be risky to provide open source plugins because someone else can easily modify it and use it or sell it in their own name as well. However, that is not the case.
The following advantages will help you clarify your misconceptions over open source plugins:-
1) security:
There is a misconception that open source plugins, being vulnerable to any changes and modifications by the prevailing user, are not secure enough. However, this is not true at all. Open source plugins are created and developed by a community of active developers to ensure usage, modification, and sharing of these plugins freely. These developers make the source code of the plugins available to every user to enable them to view the source code, learn using it, modify it, or share it.
These active developers and their community, regularly analyze, evaluate and find errors in the plugins by comparing them with the original version created by them. They then remove these errors and again set them free to be used. Thus, open source plugins are constantly checked for any external dangers entering them, thereby making them secure. Thus, it can be said that open source plugins are checked, fixed, updated and upgraded regularly by active community developers. An open source plugin is therefore secure and safe to use.
2) freedom to use without any restrictions:
As mentioned above, an open source plugin can be used by anyone and in any form. This means the user can modify the plugin as per his business requirement and use it, unlike proprietary package software plugins which have very strict regulations regarding its usage. Whereas in open source plugins, the only rule is for community developers, which themselves assist the users in any problem or queries.
3) flexibility and better quality:
As open source plugins can be modified or customized, every user is free to alter and modify these plugins as per his business requirements without any restriction. This means that open source plugins are very Versatile and flexible in nature. Thus, a plugin suitable and often required for use can be tailor-made by a business with the help of open source plugins.
4) cost-effective:
There are many costs associated with Proprietary package software like license cost, mandatory anti-virus costs, and lock in prices. Whereas none of these expenses are incurred on open source plugins, in fact, they are also available free of charge most of the times, making them highly cost-effective in nature.
5) reliability:
An open source plugin is continuously monitored, checked, fixed from errors, updated and upgraded by a team of active community developers. But in case of proprietary software, an outsider professional engineer does this task. Community developers have nothing to gain or lose from the loss of any business; therefore they usually don’t indulge in any false or fraudulent acts. Whereas an external professional might have interests in competitor’s business making him a potential threat. Thus, an open source plugin is always more reliable than a proprietary software plugin.
6) no need for repeated system upgrade:
In case of proprietary software, there is a requirement of a constant system update and hardware upgrade so that it is compatible with the software updates. While on the other hand, open source plugins do not need such continuous hardware upgrades because they can run on older hardware as well.
7) easy control:
The users of open source plugins can examine the program codes and keep those which they require, remove the codes they do not require and may modify them if they need some different source code. Thus, this makes it very easy for them to control the plugins as per their business requirements. But proprietary software has rigid regulations and therefore lesser control can be exerted on them.
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Conclusion
Thus, you might have seen that although all Content Management Systems provide plugins, not all plugins are equally beneficial. Open source plugins do not have any restrictions on use, modification, and alteration as per custom requirements of the user and therefore they are the most suitable plugins for your business. They are also more secure, flexible, reliable, cheaper and easily controllable as compared to proprietary software.