Open source: Difference between revisions
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[[Category:Encyclopedia]] |
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⚫ | '''Open source''' or '''open-source''' is the idea that source code for a piece of software is freely available for viewing and modifying. The term "Open Source" is a trademark of the [http://www.opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative]; This means that OSI must approve of a license before it can be described as an open-source license. |
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The [[MIT/X11 License]] and the [[GPL]] are examples of open source licenses. |
The [[MIT/X11 License]] and the [[GPL]] are examples of open source licenses. |
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It should be noted that while the term "open source" has gained wide-spread acceptance, there are still those who reject it. The most visible example is [[wp:Richard Stallman|Richard Stallman]], founder of the GNU Project and author of the GPL and several widely-used software packages, who instead continues to use the older term '''free software'''. (For a brief discussion of his reasons, see the Terminology section of his Wikipedia entry.) The possible confusion of the word "free" prompted Stallman to explain it this way: |
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<blockquote>"Free software" is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of "free" as in "free speech," not as in "free beer."</blockquote> |
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==See Also== |
==See Also== |
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* [http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd The Open Source Definition] |
* [http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd The Open Source Definition] |
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* [http://www.opensource.org/licenses List of Open Source Licenses] |
* [http://www.opensource.org/licenses List of Open Source Licenses] |
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* [http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html The Free Software Definition] |
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* [http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html Why Open Source misses the point of Free Software] |
Revision as of 08:44, 5 March 2011
Open source or open-source is the idea that source code for a piece of software is freely available for viewing and modifying. The term "Open Source" is a trademark of the Open Source Initiative; This means that OSI must approve of a license before it can be described as an open-source license.
The MIT/X11 License and the GPL are examples of open source licenses.
It should be noted that while the term "open source" has gained wide-spread acceptance, there are still those who reject it. The most visible example is Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU Project and author of the GPL and several widely-used software packages, who instead continues to use the older term free software. (For a brief discussion of his reasons, see the Terminology section of his Wikipedia entry.) The possible confusion of the word "free" prompted Stallman to explain it this way:
"Free software" is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of "free" as in "free speech," not as in "free beer."