Not only does open-source produce cost savings over commercial options, but it also provides researchers the opportunity to develop software for their own specific needs, then share it with others doing similar work.

The policy related to the use of, contribution to, and creation and release of Open-Source Software has been issued by FMI on April 12th, 2021.

Although many open-source software repositories are available, FMI recommends Github FMI dedicated space as the main repository.

There are several advantages arisen from having software source code that is open to all to examine and edit. This is considered as opposed to closed source code, which is not made available for public inspection.

• Bugs

All codes contain bugs. In open-source software, because many users have access to the code, the bugs become more visible and can be rapidly corrected. The central slogan of the open-source movement is the “Linus law”: Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow (Eric Raymond, The Cathedral and the Bazaar).

• Customization

Open-source software can be customized by anyone with appropriate skills. As such, it can be easily adapted to meet specific user needs. When customizing a code, it is highly recommended that the changes are committed back to the main work.

• Learning from example

Open-source code provides an excellent learning or inspirational source, and open-source projects provide a practical environment in which one can test her skills. When a code is granted the open-source status, it will be generally checked and commented by experienced programmers, a process that provides an education in itself.