Free and Open-Source Software
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A Free and Open-Source Software is a software that is both free software and open source software.
References
2013
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source
- Free and open-source software (FOSS) is software that can be classified as both free software and open source software.[1][2] That is, anyone is freely licensed to use, copy, study, and change the software in any way, and the source code is openly shared so that people are encouraged to voluntarily improve the design of the software.[3] This is in contrast to proprietary software, where the software is under restrictive copyright and the source code is hidden from the users, so that the rights holders (the software publishers) can sell binary executables.
Free, open-source operating systems such as Linux and BSD are widely utilized today, powering millions of servers, desktops, smartphones (e.g. Google Android), and other devices.[4][5] Free software licenses and open-source licenses are used by many software packages.
- Free and open-source software (FOSS) is software that can be classified as both free software and open source software.[1][2] That is, anyone is freely licensed to use, copy, study, and change the software in any way, and the source code is openly shared so that people are encouraged to voluntarily improve the design of the software.[3] This is in contrast to proprietary software, where the software is under restrictive copyright and the source code is hidden from the users, so that the rights holders (the software publishers) can sell binary executables.
- ↑ FOSS is an inclusive term that covers both free software and open-source software, which despite describing similar development models, have differing cultures and philosophies.(See Feller (2005), p. 89, 362) Free refers both to the freedom to copy and re-use the software, and to the price of the software. The Free Software Foundation, an organization that advocates the free software model, suggests that, to understand the concept, one should "think of free as in free speech, not as in free beer". (See "The Free Software Definition". GNU.org. http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html. Retrieved 4 February 2010.) Free software focuses on the fundamental freedoms it gives to users, whereas open source software focuses on the perceived strengths of its peer-to-peer development model.(See Feller (2005), pp. 101–106, 110–111.) FOSS is a term that can be used without particular bias towards either political approach.
- ↑ Barr, Joe (1998). "Why "Free Software" is better than "Open Source"". Free Software Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 November 2007. http://www.webcitation.org/5TchyyzYm. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
- ↑ Free Software Foundation. "What is free software?". http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
- ↑ Hatlestad, Luc (9 August 2005). "LinuxWorld Showcases Open-Source Growth, Expansion". InformationWeek. CMP Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 25 November 2007. http://www.webcitation.org/5Tchd69ij. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
- ↑ Claburn, Thomas (17 January 2007). "Study Finds Open Source Benefits Business". InformationWeek. CMP Media LLC. Archived from the original on 25 November 2007. http://www.webcitation.org/5TchF5fkl. Retrieved 11 2 5 2007.