Off-the-shelf packages v/s Tailor-made software

[Open Intelligence]

(a) Advantages of off-the-shelf packages
(i)  much cheaper than tailor-made software
(ii) software is available immediately

(a) Disadvantages of off-the-shelf packages
(i)  it may not meet the requirements of the application/organisation.
(ii) source code is not available so it cannot be modified/maintained by the user organisation.

(b) Advantages of custom-written software
(i)  it is built according to the requirements of the application/organisation
(ii) source code is available so it can be modified/maintained.

(b) Disadvantages of custom-written software
(i)  very expensive to write
(ii) software is not available immediately (has to wait, sometimes for months/years)