What is open source software and why should you care?
Open source software is a type of computer program whose source code (the programming instructions) are released under a license that’s mostly free and open to the public. The licenses preserve the rights of users. Open source software is often developed by volunteers.
The name
The term “open source” was coined in 1998 by a group of people who were frustrated with the way that commercial software companies treated their products as proprietary and secret. They wanted to create an alternative model for sharing information, one that would make it easier for developers to collaborate and build on each other’s work.
The term “free software” had been used for years by people who wanted to share software without worrying about being sued for copyright infringement or forced into making proprietary changes by a company owner. The problem was that many people didn’t understand what “free” meant in this context — they thought it meant “zero cost.” So the term “open source” was devised as an umbrella term that included both notions — free availability and collaborative development — while avoiding confusion over costs or licenses associated with commercial software.
Why is open source software good?
The idea behind open source software is that it’s developed by a community of programmers who all know what they’re doing. The end result is typically higher-quality software than you would get from one company with a monopoly on development.
Open source software has become increasingly important in recent years because it makes it possible for developers to create high-quality software without having to invest in expensive proprietary licenses or pay huge fees to proprietary vendors.
The benefits of open source software include:
Lower costs: Open source software doesn’t cost anything to use or download, so you don’t have to pay for it upfront. You only pay once you’ve decided to use it in a commercial setting (e.g., on your website). Open source alternatives are often cheaper than their commercial counterparts because they’re not sold at a fixed price point – they’re usually offered through donation-based models or via subscription fees (like WordPress).
Reliability: Because any user can see the source code, there’s an increased chance of discovering bugs, security vulnerabilities and other problems before they become major issues. This can lead to better overall quality of the product and improved customer satisfaction with your software solution.
Flexibility: Open source allows you to install any program you want on your computer without having to rely on a single vendor for support. Your computer won’t be “locked” into using just one program. This also means that you can customize it however you like. There are no restrictions on how much or how little customization you can do — as long as you abide by the license terms set forth by the developer, you can modify open source software as much as you want without having to worry about copyright issues down the line.
Open source software is a type of computer program whose source code (the programming instructions) are released under a license that’s mostly free and open to the public. The licenses preserve the rights of users. Open source software is often developed by volunteers. The name The term “open source” was…