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open-source

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See also: source code | licenses | Open Source Initiative | free software

Aka: Open Source Software.

Open source commonly refers to software in which the source code is available and can be copied, edited, or changed by anyone. The advantage to this type of software is that anyone using the sofware can discover a bug and fix it. In theory, if the program is used by enough people that have programming skills, all the bugs will eventually be found and fixed. In practice, open source programs don't always work in this way, and many times most of the bugs end up being fixed by the software developers.

Different licenses, like the GPL, exist to allow varying levels of modification, be it for personal or commercial use. The open source community can update products continually, so users don't have to wait as long for new features. Some advocate the use of open source software so that business may reduce legal risk from piracy and copyright infringement. Open source software has a grassroots DIY appeal, since it is easy to get involved

Open-source software is at the heart of the Linux and BSD worlds, allowing developers to freely trade and modify each other's work but it is also increasingly used by traditionally closed-source companies such as Microsoft and Apple, although restricted by different licenses.

"Open source" and "Free Software" definitions emphasize different rationals and the terms must be used with care. Open source is defined officially by the Open Source Definition. There is also an open source wiki called Open Source Pedia.

Popular Examples of Open Source Software[edit]

There are thousands and thousands of open-source programs available for free online, for use by individuals on their own hardware and operating system. Open-source products are often available for no cost to the user. Benefiting all individuals, and posing a threat to businesses that base their revenue models on controlling their users, open-source is claimed by some, particularly Microsoft surrogates, as a communist cancer attacking intellectual property.

Linux, like other open source projects, is not directly regulated like a business. Open-source is redifining the market place for software. It proves there is an alternative to corporate capitalism.

"Open Source" is a marketing name for Free Software, coined in Feb 1998 as an attempt to overcome the confusion over the word "free" in the English language. Open source refers to the fact that the source code of Free Software is open to and for the world to take, to modify and to reuse. The precise meaning of Free Software - an important distinction - is spelled out in the Debian Free Software Guidelines or the GNU Free Software Definition.

Open-Source Hosts[edit]

There is a section just for Archives which also includes open-source projects.

Related Links[edit]

Bad links[edit]

  • Openwares.Org - A apparent scam that takes open source software and bundles it with software that shows advertisments. Don't download from here. The front page claims they do not do spyware but instead add open source NSIS uninstall software. Users are advised in all cases to just download OSS software from their respective sites, not from a 3rd party such as openwares or other Web sites.
http://methlabs.org/howtotell/boycott/boycottmedium.jpg

Related Topics[edit]

This article is based on a public domain infoAnarchy article: Open-source iA