| Open Source Vs. Free Software |
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Information AboutOpen Source Vs. Free Software |
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Open Source and Free Software are different terms for freely redistributable software. They describe the same software, however, some people prefer that you use one term versus the other. Open Source is widely used to describe freely redistributable software. The term was originally intended to be trademarkable, however through naivete the term is too descriptive, so no trademark exists. OSI would prefer that people treat Open Source as if it were a trademark, and use it only to describe software licensed under an OSI approved license. Not everyone agrees with this idea. OSI Certified is a trademark licensed only to people who are distributing software licensed under a license listed on the Open Source Initiative web page. There is also a graphic form of the trademark: Free Software licences are not limited to the ones produced by the Free Software Foundation . Like the OSI they also list licences that meet their definition of free software. There have been some differences. Some licences :
Some of theses licences such as the Apple Public Source Licence were aproved by the OSI but not by the Free Software Foundation. However a lot of these licences (Apple Public Source Licence, Plan9) are not used anymore. There are now new versions that are approved by both OSI and the Free Software Foundation. Still some differences remain between both ''free software'' and ''open source''. The goal of both is to create a situation where no advantage is to be had by keeping software proprietary. The Free Software Foundation tackles that goal by creating a body of software which is licensed under the GPL , and by promulgating the concept of free software. The Open Source Initiative tackles that goal by encouraging people to experience the Open Source Effect , a portion of which is the freedom to acquire, modify, and share software. The Open Source Initiative believes that more people will be convinced by the experience of freedom. The Free Software Foundation believes that more people will be convinced by the concept of freedom. The Free Software Foundation believes that knowledge of the concept is an essential requirement and insists on the use of the term ''free'' {Link without Title} . The Open Source Initiative believes that ''free'' has three meanings: free as in beer, free as in freedom, and free as in crap (if it was any good, you'd be selling it). ''Open Source'' says nothing about the freedom to modify and redistribute, so it is being misused. This philosophical difference creates opportunities for division. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINK
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| Author | Frank Scavo |
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| Year | 2005 |
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| Url | http://wwwcomputereconomicscom/articlecfmid=1043 |
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| Title | Key Advantage of Open Source is Not Cost Savings |
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| Publisher | Computer Economics |
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| Accessdate | November 21 |
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| Accessyear | 2005 |
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