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. Many open source licences are approved by the [http://www.opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative]. Open source licences approved by the Open Source Initiative may be referred to as '''OSI approved licences'''. |
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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] |
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Latest revision as of 06:07, 6 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. Many open source licences are approved by the Open Source Initiative. Open source licences approved by the Open Source Initiative may be referred to as OSI approved licences.
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."