Open source software for medical images

The usage of open source software has several advantages, but also some disadvantages. There is for example the “AS IS” disclaimer in the GPL that says, that the developer and the distributor is not liable for any damage, that might be caused by the software. This disclaimer is not valid in Germany, even if the software is completely free. The German jurisdiction sees free software in most cases as a donation and in this case the developer is only liable for roughly careless (“grob fahrlässig”) or intended (“vorsätzlich”) defects. Thus the person who decides to use the software or the institution which uses it, might be liable for a damage that is caused by the software. Nevertheless, most commercial software companies also disclaim the liability for damages in most cases. But therefore, users of open source software are independent from software company decisions. For example the user is not forced to upgrade to a newer version of the software, just because the old version is discontinued. A software company might even force the user to buy additional software from specific companies or to use special hardware. Open source software instead often uses standardized formats to exchange data, which improves the interoperability with other applications. Even, if the software came with its own file format, other software developers can take a look at the source code, to understand that format and implement it in their own software. The major advantage of open source software is of course, that an application is not only offered as a