Most of the software I have used in educational platforms has been commercial. This type of software requires that people pay in order to have full access to it. They can buy memberships, or schools can purchase a license for the product. Since it is run by a company, there are many benefits such as technology support, point of contact, and constantly updating to compete with the other commercial software. These types of programs are usually needed for software that many people will be using in a setting such as a school or work place. Adobe Connect, Blackboard, Cisco WebEx and GoTo Meeting are all examples of commercial learning software.
Open source software also has many benefits. It is free which obviously attracts many participants. Since it is public access, it also allows users to modify and share their work. It also has an open source code so anyone who has access to the code can modify and enhance the program. Many people also consider open source software more secure and reliable since many people can fix others' previous errors. Examples of open source software includes Moodle, Blender, and Hangouts.
In addition to Adobe Connect, Blackboard, Cisco WebEx and GoTo Meeting, tools like R-HUB web conferencing servers is also an example of commercial learning software. It is an on premise solution which provides a simple and easy to use interface and works on all platforms viz Windows, MAC, Android, iOS etc.
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