What Is Free Software and Open Source Software?

So, whats up here?

A new kid in town?

Yet another buzzword?

Sit back, relax, and listen ^-^

But DONT end up like this!!

They are both

Philosophy

And software development technique

Ever heard of Free Software?

What first come to your head

When you hear

Sorry, its not free as in free price

Its Free as in Freedom!

Gasp!.. WHAT?!

Yes you hear it right

NOT free price, but Freedom

Hehe.. Ok (^-^)

Some history lesson

Long long time ago But not in a galaxy far away

1950s, 1960s

Software were developed in an open manner

Academician, corporate researchers, collaborate on projects

Source codes shared

Software evolves through sharing

But as vendors and software companies grow in number

The culture stopped

Software become

Tightly closed secret behind doors

Software 'Sharing' become 'Stealing'

A researcher at MIT's Artificial Intelligence lab

Richard M Stallman a.k.a RMS

Sees that this should not happen

Thus he started the GNU Project (1984), Free Software Foundation (1985) and the concept of Free Software

Which basically brought us to here ^-^

Want the full story?

Or google for more!

Free Software Definition

Four Freedom!

Freedom #0: Freedom to run the program, for any purpose

Freedom #1: Freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs

Freedom #2: Freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor

Freedom #3: Freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified version in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits

Access to Source Code is a precondition for Freedom #3

How you expect to modify and improve if you don't have the Source? (^-^)

More details?

Now what is Open Source ?

In simple term

Business friendly definition of Free Software

Business = Money The 'free' word = uh.. oh..

Another history lesson

1998

Eric S. Raymond

Saw there was a need to clear the 'free' confusion

To bring Free Software to mainstream

Coined the term 'Open Source'

And started the Open Source Initiative

Open Source Definition

Criteria #0: Free redistribution

No restrictions! No royalty!

Criteria #1: Access to Source Code

Criteria #2: Allow creation of derived works

Criteria #3: No discrimination against persons or groups

Criteria #4: No discrimination against fields or endeavor

Can be used for saving the world

Can be used for make the world a better place

Can be used for anything

Including to destroy the world

But please don't ^_^

There's several more criterion

But I think its too technical & legalese to talk about

So look up yourself at

Whats the difference between Free Software and Open Source ?

Philosophically, they are similar

But RMS sees it as not-pure

Open Source is less strict

And cover more areas

Free Software is a subset of Open Source

All Free Software are Open Source

But certain Open Source software does not qualify as Free Software

As the FSF people says they are not 'Free' enough

Why does Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) matters?

Open up possibilities to learn

When was the last time you got the source code of a software used by large organizations?

For Free? Without NDA?

Open up possibilities to collaborate

With (almost) everyone in the world!

Help your neighbors!

Make the world a better place!

And you can make money out of it too ^o^

How?, that need a whole different presentation to cover :P

FOSS is everywhere!

Most of you have been using it without realizing it

The Internet is largely powered by Free / Open Source Softwares

Start using FOSS now!

Google for "Free / Open Source" to learn more

For a start, Try using Open Office

Then you may want to try using Linux, Fedora / OpenSuSE / Ubuntu are good starting points

I'm biased, so I recommend Fedora :-P

More Links

That's all Folks