Unencrypted source offers several advantages over other code formats:

• Application extendability — Since users have full access to your source code and full compilation capabilities, they can modify your application code any way they want.
• Less to manage at development site — Other code formats require you to manage multiple code trees and might require you to keep multiple copies of your application database.
• Simpler initial deployment — When you choose unencrypted source, deploying your application is usually easier than with other code formats. Initial Deployment describes the steps required for each code format.
• Simpler upgrades — When you choose unencrypted source, upgrading your application is usually less complex than with other code formats. Upgrades describes the steps required for each code format.
• Easier maintenance — Since users have full development environments, it is relatively easy to modify or enhance your application at their sites.
• Full portability — Both unencrypted and encrypted source are completely portable across platforms and user interfaces (character mode and GUI), provided you have followed the necessary guidelines for writing portable applications. Note that r-code is not portable across user interfaces.
• Less space used on storage media — Unencrypted source files usually occupy much less storage space than r-code files, decreasing their physical media shipment costs. (Encrypted source files also have this advantage over r-code files.)