Most of us are familiar with JV16 PowerTools, and its watered down freeware version, PowerTools Lite, released by Macecraft. You would be glad to know that Macecraft Software is now, after a decade of active development, considering going open-source, and they are going to release Jv16 PowerTools as a free and an open-source software. The organization strongly feels that after a decade of accomplishment, it is time to take their product to a whole another level and open source is the way to go.
Why Open-source?
Said Macecraft in an email to us:
While we were looking into different options for the future of jv16 PowerTools and Macecraft Software, the more obvious option of selling the product to another company was seen to be clearly not as beneficial to our existing customers and users as the option of going open source. Selling the product may have been financially more beneficial for the current owners of Macecraft but for customers and users, it would have meant many new questions and uncertainty about where the product will be going in the future. And in case of the product being sold to an existing competitor, it would have most likely meant the end of jv16 PowerTools as a standalone software. The option of going open source via crowd funding is clearly the better option for you.
Macecraft adds by stating, that giving away a product for free does not imply that their users will not really benefit out of it, in fact their objective is exactly the opposite. In the present scenario (with the open source revolution), the end user always gains immensely because they can accomplish and apply so many creative ideas and develop umpteen number of opportunities out of it. This would open up the various arenas of how JV16 PowerTools can be differently used, hence, opening new grounds for the software to grow and further develop, just like WordPress, PHP, Joomla and so many others did.
Open-source models for Jv16 PowerTools
Users have the flexibility to convert Jv16 PowerTools through GPL and BSD models. With the former, the source code of the program will be released, and the user can apply the same in another software or create new software by using the same source code, provided that the new software must also be released as GPL open source only and would not be used by commercial applications/products. In the latter’s case, i.e. BSD Model, the source code, along with the program can be used for free by all users. With this model, the source code is released “as is” and provides the flexibility to be applied by any user, within any project. Now, it entirely depends on the kind of response, support and funding the company gathers, for deciding whether the software will be released as per GPL or BSD model.
How this is useful for you
You, as end users (developers and programmers, product developers, etc.) can benefit immensely out of the open source version of JV16 PowerTools. Here is how:
To get a detailed preview about Jv16 PowerTools going open-source, visit the official page of Macecraft.
