What is open source?
An open source software license allows you to freely view, use, test, modify, and share the software source code. By anyone. This enables the community-driven development of the open source software, where programmers voluntarily work together and dedicate their time and expertise to create new features, test, and improve the source code. Gratuitous.
The idea of the open source code had been created in 1983 by Richard Stallman, programmer at MIT, who believed that software code should be free and available to everyone. He begun to release free source code under his own GNU Public License, which formed the basis for Open Source Initiative (OSI) started in 1998. Since that time, every software made available under the open source license must meet the requirements of the Open Source Initiative’s license review process.
Open source software – advantages:
- It is reliable and secure (including users and their personal data), since the source code is viewed and tested by a vast community of developers.
- It is often cost-effective, as it is frequently available for free or at a lower price than a proprietary software.
Open source software can be developed for a variety of purposes, including operating systems, office solutions, and software development tools. Since 1983 have been created many popular open source software projects, such as the Linux operating system, the Apache web server, and the Firefox web browser, and the Unleash feature management software, that have significantly influenced the software industry and help shape the way we see and use technology today.