Difference between revisions of "Free and open-source software"

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The benefits of using FOSS potentially include decreasing software costs, increasing security and stability (especially in regard to malware), protecting privacy, and giving users more control over their software development.<ref name="ClaburnStudy07">{{cite news |url=http://www.informationweek.com/study-finds-open-source-benefits-business-/d/d-id/1050799? |title=Study Finds Open Source Benefits Business |author=Claburn, Thomas |work=InformationWeek |publisher=CMP Media, LLC |date=17 January 2007 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="WheelerWhy15">{{cite web |url=http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html |title=Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)? Look at the Numbers! |author=Wheeler, David A. |work=DWheeler.com |date=18 July 2015 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref>
The benefits of using FOSS potentially include decreasing software costs, increasing security and stability (especially in regard to malware), protecting privacy, and giving users more control over their software development.<ref name="ClaburnStudy07">{{cite news |url=http://www.informationweek.com/study-finds-open-source-benefits-business-/d/d-id/1050799? |title=Study Finds Open Source Benefits Business |author=Claburn, Thomas |work=InformationWeek |publisher=CMP Media, LLC |date=17 January 2007 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="WheelerWhy15">{{cite web |url=http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html |title=Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)? Look at the Numbers! |author=Wheeler, David A. |work=DWheeler.com |date=18 July 2015 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref>
==History==
In the 1950s and '60s, it was common for computer users to have the source code for all programs they used as well as the permission and ability to modify it for their own use. Software, including source code, was commonly shared by individuals who used computers. Most companies had a business model based on hardware sales, and provided or bundled the software free of charge.<ref name="BainbridgeBerk04">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=568u_k1R4lUC&pg=PA532 |title=Berkshire Encyclopedia of Human-computer Interaction |editor=Bainbridge, William S. |publisher=Berkshire Publishing Group |location=Barrington, MA |year=2004 |pages=958 |isbn=9780974309125 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="RostTheDark11">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f_FyOg5XW_IC&pg=PT202 |title=The Dark Side of Software Engineering: Evil on Computing Projects |author=Rost, Johann; Glass, Robert L. |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=Hoboken, NJ |year=2011 |pages=316 |isbn=9780470922873 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref> Organizations of users and suppliers such as SHARE and DECUS were formed to further facilitate the exchange of software and provide technical advice.<ref name="JonesTheTech13">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_H8lAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA87 |title=The Technical and Social History of Software Engineering |author=Jones, Capers |publisher=Addison-Wesley |location=Upper Saddle River, NJ |year=2013 |pages=496 |isbn=9780133365894 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref>
By the late 1960s, the prevailing business model around software was beginning to change. A growing and evolving software industry was competing with hardware manufacturers' bundled software products; rather than funding software development from hardware revenue, these new companies were selling software directly. Leased machines required software support while providing no revenue for software, and some customers able to better meet their own needs did not want the costs of software bundled with their hardware costs. In ''United States vs. IBM'', filed January 17, 1969, the government charged that bundled software was anticompetitive.<ref name="FisherIBM83">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZI-1AAAAIAAJ |title=IBM and the U.S. Data Processing Industry: An Economic History |author=Fisher, Franklin M.; McKie, James W.; Mancke, Richard B. |publisher=Praeger |year=1983 |isbn=9780030630590}}</ref><ref name="JonesTheTech13" />
By the 1970s and early 1980s, pure software companies were fully developed, with some in the industry beginning to use technical measures (such as only distributing binary copies of computer programs) to prevent computer users from being able to use reverse engineering techniques to study and customize software they had paid for. This idea that the underlying code in software was something to protect was further cemented in 1980, when copyright law was extended to computer programs in the United States<ref name="USGovPL96-517">{{cite web |url=https://history.nih.gov/research/downloads/PL96-517.pdf |title=Public Law 96-517 |publisher=National Institutes of Health |date=12 December 1980 |format=PDF |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref> — previously, computer programs could only be considered ideas, procedures, methods, systems, and processes, which were not copyrightable.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lib.purdue.edu/uco/CopyrightBasics/basics.html |title=Copyright Overview |work=Copyright Basics |publisher=Purdue University |date=2009 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="WeberTheSuc09">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78SLSiWqy14C&pg=PA4 |title=The Success of Open Source |author=Weber, Steve |publisher=Harvard University Press |location=Cambridge, MA |year=2009 |pages=320 |isbn=9780674044999 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref>
In 1983, Richard Stallman, longtime member of the hacker community at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, announced the GNU project, saying that he had become frustrated with the effects of the change in culture of the computer industry and its users.<ref name="WilliamsFree02">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IELrzjhGFDQC |title=Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software |author=Williams, Sam |publisher=O'Reilly and Associates |location=Sabastopol, CA |year=2002 |pages=240 |isbn=9781449323363}}</ref> Software development for the GNU operating system began in January 1984, and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) was founded in October 1985. An article outlining the project and its goals was published in March 1985 titled the ''GNU Manifesto''. The manifesto included significant explanation of the GNU philosophy and went on to promote concepts such as "free software" and "copyleft" licensing.<ref name="GNUMani">{{cite web |url=http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.en.html |title=The GNU Manifesto |work=GNU.org |publisher=Free Software Foundation, Inc |date=02 June 2015 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref>
Stallman's efforts would eventually go on to influence other programmers. Linus Torvalds released the Linux kernel in 1991. Though Linux was not initially released under a free or open-source software license, Torvalds re-licensed the project under the GNU General Public License with version 0.12 in February 1992.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOTES-0.12 |title=Release notes for Linux v0.12 |author=Torvalds, Linus |work=The Linux Kernel Archive |publisher=Linux Kernel Organization, Inc |date=February 1992 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref> Much like Unix, Torvalds' kernel attracted the attention of volunteer programmers.<ref name="LarkinSamson07">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bh6bmGYcCxwC&pg=PA197 |title=Samson and the Pirate Monks: Calling Men to Authentic Brotherhood |author=Larkin, Nate |publisher=Thomas Nelson |location=Nashville, TN |pages=224 |year=2007 |isbn=9781418577698 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="EganDBA00">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TszUjeyeo8cC&pg=PA2 |title=DBAs Guide to Databases On Linux |author=Egan, David; Zikopoulous, Paul |publisher=Syngress Media, Inc |location=Rockland, MA |pages=485 |year=2000 |isbn=9780080530291 |accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 21:54, 13 January 2016

This article should not be considered complete until this message box has been removed. This is a work in progress.

Free and open-source software (FOSS) is computer software that can be classified as a union of two software development models: free software and open-source software. First, anyone is licensed to freely use, copy, study, and change the software in any way. Second, the source code is openly shared so that people are encouraged to voluntarily improve the design of the software.[1] In contrast, proprietary software is under restrictive copyright, and the source code is usually hidden from users.

Despite similarities in their development models, both "free software" and "open-source software" feature differing cultures and philosophies.[2] "Free" refers to the users' freedom to copy and re-use 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'".[1] while focusing on the fundamental freedoms it gives to users. The "open-source" component, however, focuses on the perceived strengths of its peer-to-peer development model.[2] Despite these differences, the term "FOSS" can generally be used without particular bias towards either political approach.

The benefits of using FOSS potentially include decreasing software costs, increasing security and stability (especially in regard to malware), protecting privacy, and giving users more control over their software development.[3][4]

History

In the 1950s and '60s, it was common for computer users to have the source code for all programs they used as well as the permission and ability to modify it for their own use. Software, including source code, was commonly shared by individuals who used computers. Most companies had a business model based on hardware sales, and provided or bundled the software free of charge.[5][6] Organizations of users and suppliers such as SHARE and DECUS were formed to further facilitate the exchange of software and provide technical advice.[7]

By the late 1960s, the prevailing business model around software was beginning to change. A growing and evolving software industry was competing with hardware manufacturers' bundled software products; rather than funding software development from hardware revenue, these new companies were selling software directly. Leased machines required software support while providing no revenue for software, and some customers able to better meet their own needs did not want the costs of software bundled with their hardware costs. In United States vs. IBM, filed January 17, 1969, the government charged that bundled software was anticompetitive.[8][7]

By the 1970s and early 1980s, pure software companies were fully developed, with some in the industry beginning to use technical measures (such as only distributing binary copies of computer programs) to prevent computer users from being able to use reverse engineering techniques to study and customize software they had paid for. This idea that the underlying code in software was something to protect was further cemented in 1980, when copyright law was extended to computer programs in the United States[9] — previously, computer programs could only be considered ideas, procedures, methods, systems, and processes, which were not copyrightable.[10][11]

In 1983, Richard Stallman, longtime member of the hacker community at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, announced the GNU project, saying that he had become frustrated with the effects of the change in culture of the computer industry and its users.[12] Software development for the GNU operating system began in January 1984, and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) was founded in October 1985. An article outlining the project and its goals was published in March 1985 titled the GNU Manifesto. The manifesto included significant explanation of the GNU philosophy and went on to promote concepts such as "free software" and "copyleft" licensing.[13]

Stallman's efforts would eventually go on to influence other programmers. Linus Torvalds released the Linux kernel in 1991. Though Linux was not initially released under a free or open-source software license, Torvalds re-licensed the project under the GNU General Public License with version 0.12 in February 1992.[14] Much like Unix, Torvalds' kernel attracted the attention of volunteer programmers.[15][16]

See also

Further reading


External links

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: FLOSS Concept Booklet
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: FOSS A General Introduction
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: FOSS Open Standards

Notes

This article reuses some content from the Wikipedia article.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "What is free software?". GNU.org. Free Software Foundation, Inc. 1 January 2016. https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Feller, Joseph; Fitzgerald, Brian; Hissam, Scott A.; Lakhani, Karim R. (2005). Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. pp. 538. ISBN 9780262062466. https://books.google.com/books?id=C0Z30r8qdpcC. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  3. ↑ Claburn, Thomas (17 January 2007). "Study Finds Open Source Benefits Business". InformationWeek (CMP Media, LLC). http://www.informationweek.com/study-finds-open-source-benefits-business-/d/d-id/1050799?. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  4. ↑ Wheeler, David A. (18 July 2015). "Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)? Look at the Numbers!". DWheeler.com. http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  5. ↑ Bainbridge, William S., ed. (2004). Berkshire Encyclopedia of Human-computer Interaction. Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing Group. pp. 958. ISBN 9780974309125. https://books.google.com/books?id=568u_k1R4lUC&pg=PA532. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  6. ↑ Rost, Johann; Glass, Robert L. (2011). The Dark Side of Software Engineering: Evil on Computing Projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 316. ISBN 9780470922873. https://books.google.com/books?id=f_FyOg5XW_IC&pg=PT202. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jones, Capers (2013). The Technical and Social History of Software Engineering. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley. pp. 496. ISBN 9780133365894. https://books.google.com/books?id=_H8lAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA87. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  8. ↑ Fisher, Franklin M.; McKie, James W.; Mancke, Richard B. (1983). IBM and the U.S. Data Processing Industry: An Economic History. Praeger. ISBN 9780030630590. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZI-1AAAAIAAJ. 
  9. ↑ "Public Law 96-517" (PDF). National Institutes of Health. 12 December 1980. https://history.nih.gov/research/downloads/PL96-517.pdf. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  10. ↑ "Copyright Overview". Copyright Basics. Purdue University. 2009. https://www.lib.purdue.edu/uco/CopyrightBasics/basics.html. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  11. ↑ Weber, Steve (2009). The Success of Open Source. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 320. ISBN 9780674044999. https://books.google.com/books?id=78SLSiWqy14C&pg=PA4. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  12. ↑ Williams, Sam (2002). Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software. Sabastopol, CA: O'Reilly and Associates. pp. 240. ISBN 9781449323363. https://books.google.com/books?id=IELrzjhGFDQC. 
  13. ↑ "The GNU Manifesto". GNU.org. Free Software Foundation, Inc. 2 June 2015. http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.en.html. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  14. ↑ Torvalds, Linus (February 1992). "Release notes for Linux v0.12". The Linux Kernel Archive. Linux Kernel Organization, Inc. https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOTES-0.12. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  15. ↑ Larkin, Nate (2007). Samson and the Pirate Monks: Calling Men to Authentic Brotherhood. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. pp. 224. ISBN 9781418577698. https://books.google.com/books?id=bh6bmGYcCxwC&pg=PA197. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
  16. ↑ Egan, David; Zikopoulous, Paul (2000). DBAs Guide to Databases On Linux. Rockland, MA: Syngress Media, Inc. pp. 485. ISBN 9780080530291. https://books.google.com/books?id=TszUjeyeo8cC&pg=PA2. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 


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