Changes

==Open Source==

==Open Source==

Open Source refers to [[software]] where the source code is available for anyone to modify.  There are many different licenses under which open source software is available<ref>http://www.opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical</ref>, all varying slightly to the degree on the conditions under which the software can be modified and redistributed.

Open Source refers to [[software]] where the source code is available for anyone to modify.  There are many different licenses under which open source software is available,<ref>http://www.opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical</ref> all varying slightly to the degree on the conditions under which the software can be modified and redistributed.

Although the development model for open source software may seem counter-intuitive, for many projects it has been shown to be very successful.  Generally, open source software is distributed with the underlying source code available for anyone to freely modify and redistribute.  This development model is very similar to university research and the '[[Best of the public|best of the public]]' model, where discoveries and research are published in [[peer review|peer reviewed]] journals or other venues, which are then built upon by other researchers and contributors spawning further ideas and discoveries.

Although the development model for open source software may seem counter-intuitive, for many projects it has been shown to be very successful.  Generally, open source software is distributed with the underlying source code available for anyone to freely modify and redistribute.  This development model is very similar to university research and the '[[best of the public]]' model, where discoveries and research are published in [[peer review]]ed journals or other venues, which are then built upon by other researchers and contributors spawning further ideas and discoveries.

There is a common misconception that open source software must be given away for free, but this is incorrect.<ref>http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#DoesTheGPLAllowDownloadFee</ref>  Although most open source software is indeed available for free, with the authors usually charging for consulting and other services, there is no obligation for them to do so.

There is a common misconception that open source software must be given away for free, but this is incorrect.<ref>http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#DoesTheGPLAllowDownloadFee</ref>  Although most open source software is indeed available for free, with the authors usually charging for consulting and other services, there is no obligation for them to do so.

A related concept is one espoused by [[Richard M. Stallman]] and his followers: copyleft. Copyleft subverts copyright law to create a class of software code and art that only allows for redistribution of code as long as those using the code also allow it to be redistributed. That way, software is developed from each according to ability and used according to need.<ref>http://blog.lab49.com/archives/659</ref>

A related concept is one espoused by [[Richard M. Stallman]] and his followers: copyleft. Copyleft subverts copyright law to create a class of software code and art that only allows for redistribution of code as long as those using the code also allow it to be redistributed. That way, software is developed from each according to ability and used according to need.<ref>http://blog.lab49.com/archives/659</ref>

Copyleft as a mechanism requires that any software which uses code from copylefted software to be licensed under the same terms -- making it copylefted as well. In the long run, this will lead to more and more software being licensed under copyleft terms. Not only that, but, due to the nature of copyleft, a lot less diversity in licenses is possible -- in fact, the most popular copyleft license, the GNU General Public License (GPL), is used for the majority of copylefted software. If this tendency will not be stopped, all open source software is soon to be licensed under one license.

Copyleft as a mechanism requires that any software which uses code from copylefted software to be licensed under the same terms—making it copylefted as well. In the long run, this will lead to more and more software being licensed under copyleft terms. Not only that, but, due to the nature of copyleft, a lot less diversity in licenses is possible—in fact, the most popular copyleft license, the GNU General Public License (GPL), is used for the majority of copylefted software. If this tendency will not be stopped, all open source software is soon to be licensed under one license.

==Permissive licenses==

==Permissive licenses==

** [[Louis Brandeis]]'''  (1856-1941), [[United States Supreme Court]] [[Associate Justice]] Dissenting, ''[[Olmstead v. United States]]'', 277 U.S. 438 (1928).

** [[Louis Brandeis]]'''  (1856-1941), [[United States Supreme Court]] [[Associate Justice]] Dissenting, ''[[Olmstead v. United States]]'', 277 U.S. 438 (1928).

==See Also==

==See also==

* [[Tails (operating system)]] ([[Linux]]-based) and [[Tor (anonymity network)]]-[[I2P]] [[Firefox]] [[browser]] [[HTTPS Everywhere]] [[encryption]] for [[Internet]] [[anonymity]] to protect [[unalienable rights|unalienable]] [[Fifth Amendment]] - [[Fourth Amendment]] [[Right to Privacy]] ([[Internet privacy]]) and [[Second Amendment]] - [[First Amendment]] rights against [[unconstitutional]] [[Gun control]] - [[Internet censorship]] [[Big government]] [[Police state]], [[hackers]], and "[[5 U.S.C. § 3331|all enemies, foreign and domestic]]" of [[American values|American]] [[liberty]].

* [[Tails (operating system)]] ([[Linux]]-based) and [[Tor (anonymity network)]]-[[I2P]] [[Firefox]] [[browser]] [[HTTPS Everywhere]] [[encryption]] for [[Internet]] [[anonymity]] to protect [[unalienable rights|unalienable]] [[Fifth Amendment]] - [[Fourth Amendment]] [[Right to Privacy]] ([[Internet privacy]]) and [[Second Amendment]] - [[First Amendment]] rights against [[unconstitutional]] [[Gun control]] - [[Internet censorship]] [[Big government]] [[Police state]], [[hackers]], and "[[5 U.S.C. § 3331|all enemies, foreign and domestic]]" of [[American values|American]] [[liberty]].