What is Open Source Software?
Various terms have been used to express the concept of Open Source (OS) Software. These terms include; Free Software (FS), Libre Software (where Libre means free as in freedom), Livre Software (where Livre also means free as in freedom), Free-Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) and Free Open Source Software (FOSS). Usage of the term “Open Source software” tends to emphasize technical advantages of such software while usage of the term “Free Software” emphasizes freedom to have absolute control on how to use the software. In our context we will use FOSS and FLOSS interchangeably to express the concepts of Free and Open Source Software. The following section distinctively describes the definitions of Free Software, Open Source Software and Closed or Proprietary software;
Free Software
Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. Free software is a matter of the user’s freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. It refers to four kinds of freedom for the users of the software i.e;
Freedom 1: The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
Freedom 2: The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. Freedom 3: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor. No license fee should be charged for redistribution. However a small fee can be charged to cater for distribution costs.
Freedom 4: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
Open source software (OSS)
Open source software (OSS) is software that is licensed under an open source license. A software license is said to be open when it complies with the following ten requirements as stipulated by Open Source Definition (OSD);
Proprietary or Closed Software
Any software that does not fulfill the above stipulated conditions for Free /Open Source Software qualify to be described as Proprietary or Closed software.
Various terms have been used to express the concept of Open Source (OS) Software. These terms include; Free Software (FS), Libre Software (where Libre means free as in freedom), Livre Software (where Livre also means free as in freedom), Free-Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) and Free Open Source Software (FOSS). Usage of the term “Open Source software” tends to emphasize technical advantages of such software while usage of the term “Free Software” emphasizes freedom to have absolute control on how to use the software. In our context we will use FOSS and FLOSS interchangeably to express the concepts of Free and Open Source Software. The following section distinctively describes the definitions of Free Software, Open Source Software and Closed or Proprietary software;
Free Software
Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. Free software is a matter of the user’s freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. It refers to four kinds of freedom for the users of the software i.e;
Freedom 1: The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
Freedom 2: The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. Freedom 3: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor. No license fee should be charged for redistribution. However a small fee can be charged to cater for distribution costs.
Freedom 4: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
Open source software (OSS)
Open source software (OSS) is software that is licensed under an open source license. A software license is said to be open when it complies with the following ten requirements as stipulated by Open Source Definition (OSD);
- Free redistribution: the license must not restrict redistribution by prohibiting contribution of the software in an aggregate along with software from other sources or by claiming royalty or other fees.
- Source Code: The source code must be distributed along with the software or there must be an easy way to obtain the source code for example by free download. The source code must be in a programmer friendly version.
- Derived Works: The license must allow to modify the program and to create derived work allowing distribution of the new work under the same license as the original work.
- Integrity of the Author’s Source Code: To protect the author’s source code, the license may prohibit distribution of modified source code, but only if it allows distribution of “patch files) that allow modification at build time. The modified versions must be marked in a different way to avoid misrepresentation of the original work.
- No discrimination against persons or groups: The license must not exclude or discriminate anyone or any group from the granted rights.
- No discrimination against fields of endeavor: The license must allow usage of the program in any field of endeavor.
- Distribution of license: Upon redistribution, everyone who receives the program must get the rights that were attached to the program without execution of an additional license.
- License must not be specific to a product: The rights granted by the license must be granted autonomous. It is not allowed to grant the rights only if the program is distributed as part of a particular distribution. All users are conceded the same rights even if the program was extracted from original distribution.
- License must not restrict other software: The license must not set any requirements about other software that is distributed together with the open source software. Thus it is not allowed to prohibit distribution of other software including proprietary on the same medium.
- License must be technology neutral: No clause of the license may be based on a specific technology or interface. Thus the license must be technology neutral.
Proprietary or Closed Software
Any software that does not fulfill the above stipulated conditions for Free /Open Source Software qualify to be described as Proprietary or Closed software.