Open source (software) - Revision history

RobSmith: RobSmith moved page Open source to Open source (software)

2022-05-21T03:35:59Z

RobSmith moved page Open source to Open source (software)

JDano: /* Copyleft */ elaborate

2017-07-31T00:01:39Z

Copyleft: elaborate

SamHB: /* Copyleft */ Clarify inapplicability of "from each according to his need" saying. Remove dead link.

2017-07-30T22:10:33Z

Copyleft: Clarify inapplicability of "from each according to his need" saying. Remove dead link.

SamHB: Time to explain what's really going on.

2017-04-16T03:17:32Z

Time to explain what's really going on.

SamHB: Remove TAR. Thanks for leading me here, ThankGod43!

2017-04-16T02:50:24Z

Remove TAR. Thanks for leading me here, ThankGod43!

DavidB4: more cleanup

2017-03-24T04:02:47Z

more cleanup

DavidB4: /* See also */ cleaning TAR links

2017-03-24T04:00:31Z

DavidB4-bot: clean up & uniformity

2016-06-27T06:28:40Z

clean up & uniformity

DavidB4: moderate TAR cleaning

2016-04-18T13:38:38Z

moderate TAR cleaning

DavidB4: /* Examples */ wording

2016-04-18T13:37:07Z

Examples: wording

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 The Free Software Foundation uses what it calls a "copyleft" (a play on the word "copyright").  This is basically a normal copyright notice but with added verbiage along the lines of "You must obey the GPL".  Whether you have "accepted" the license or not, copyright law does not permit you to do ''anything'' with the file (other than read it) without obeying the copyright notice.  If that notice says you must obey the GPL, you are not allowed to do anything with the file except in accordance with the GPL. And the GPL provides that any modified and redistributed file must bear the same "copyleft" and licensing terms.  That way, the GPL perpetuates itself and achieves the goal of having software able to be developed by anyone.
-Some people have suggested that this smacks of Communism or Socialism ("From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.")  But the economic issues involved in the Socialism-vs.-Capitalism debate ("state ownership of the means of production") do not apply to information.  Information is essentially free.  State ownership of the means of production is meaningless when the means of production consists of clicking "download".
+Some people have suggested that this smacks of Communism or Socialism ("From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.")  But the economic issues involved in the Socialism-vs.-Capitalism debate ("state ownership of the means of production") do not apply to information.  Information is essentially free.  State ownership of the means of production is meaningless when the means of production consists of clicking "download".  After all, patents, copyrights and other forms of intellectual property are monopoly rights granted and protected '''by the government.'''  In the United States, government-funded research, inventions and writings are exempt from patent or copyright claims and can be used freely by anyone.
 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. Some people have held that, if this tendency is not stopped, all open source software will soon be licensed under one license.  These fears are exaggerated.  There are quite a number of "free" software licenses, such as OSI and Creative Commons Licenses, which still legally enforce the open source principle.

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 Making the GPL perpetuate itself is rather tricky.  Normally, when one purchases or downloads software, one legally accepts the license, promising to abide by it in perpetuity.  This is often done by clicking on an "End User License Agreement" (EULA) during the installation process.  But source files have no license that they can demand that one accept.  So the trick is to use the ''copyright'', which is a legal principle that is generally accepted by society.  But merely placing a normal copyright notice at the top of each source file doesn't really prevent someone from modifying the file and giving it to other parties, having it wind up with a license of one's own choosing.
-The Free Software Foundation uses what it calls a "copyleft" (a play on the word "copyright").  This is basically a normal copyright notice but with added verbiage along the lines of "You must obey the GPL".  Whether you have "accepted" the license or not, copyright law does not permit you to do ''anything'' with the file (other than read it) without obeying the copyright notice.  If that notice says you must obey the GPL, you are not allowed to do anything with the file except in accordance with the GPL. And the GPL provides that any modified and redistributed file must bear the same "copyleft" and licensing terms.  That way, the GPL perpetuates itself and achieves the goal of having software developed from each according to ability and used according to need.<ref>http://blog.lab49.com/archives/659</ref>
+The Free Software Foundation uses what it calls a "copyleft" (a play on the word "copyright").  This is basically a normal copyright notice but with added verbiage along the lines of "You must obey the GPL".  Whether you have "accepted" the license or not, copyright law does not permit you to do ''anything'' with the file (other than read it) without obeying the copyright notice.  If that notice says you must obey the GPL, you are not allowed to do anything with the file except in accordance with the GPL. And the GPL provides that any modified and redistributed file must bear the same "copyleft" and licensing terms.  That way, the GPL perpetuates itself and achieves the goal of having software able to be developed by anyone.
 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. Some people have held that, if this tendency is not stopped, all open source software will soon be licensed under one license.  These fears are exaggerated.  There are quite a number of "free" software licenses, such as OSI and Creative Commons Licenses, which still legally enforce the open source principle.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:Opensource.svg.png|right|100px|thumb|OSI logo]]
-'''Open Source''' is a software development model promoted by the non-profit '''Open Source Initiative (OSI)''' corporation and other organizations, which makes the program's [[source code]] available to the public.
+'''Open Source''' is a software development model, promoted by the non-profit '''Open Source Initiative (OSI)''' corporation and several other organizations, which makes the program's [[source code]] available to the public.
 ==Open Source==
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ==Copyleft==
-A related concept is one espoused by [[Richard M. Stallman]] and his followers: copyleft. Copyleft (a play on the word "copyright") 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 organization, the [[Free Software Foundation]]:  The GNU Public License, often abbreviated GPL.  This is designed to legally enforce the openness and freedom (as in "Free speech", not "free beer") of the software.  Once one has access to GPL-licensed software, one is ''legally forbidden'' to take that freedom away by modifying the software and redistributing the derived work under a more restrictive license.  In this sense the GPL can be considered a "viral" license&mdash;it "infects" whatever file it touches.  This causes consternation in some quarters, but is widely considered the right way to enforce the principle.
-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.
+Making the GPL perpetuate itself is rather tricky.  Normally, when one purchases or downloads software, one legally accepts the license, promising to abide by it in perpetuity.  This is often done by clicking on an "End User License Agreement" (EULA) during the installation process.  But source files have no license that they can demand that one accept.  So the trick is to use the ''copyright'', which is a legal principle that is generally accepted by society.  But merely placing a normal copyright notice at the top of each source file doesn't really prevent someone from modifying the file and giving it to other parties, having it wind up with a license of one's own choosing.
 ==Permissive licenses==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:Opensource.svg.png|right|100px|thumb|OSI logo]]
-'''Open Source''' is a software development model being promoted by the non-profit '''Open Source Initiative (OSI)''' corporation and other organizations which makes the program's [[source code]] available to the public.
+'''Open Source''' is a software development model promoted by the non-profit '''Open Source Initiative (OSI)''' corporation and other organizations, which makes the program's [[source code]] available to the public.
 ==Open Source==
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ==Copyleft==
-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 (a play on the word "copyright") 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.
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 [[Microsoft]] has claimed several times that the [[Linux]] kernel, as well as basic programs from most versions of Linux distributions, violates a number of patents Microsoft owns. While MS didn't disclose the actual patents violated, several companies who distribute [[Android]] or Linux-based devices decided to enter the patent agreement.
 ==See also==

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 ==References==
-{{reflist|2}}
+{{reflist}}
 ==External links==
 *[http://www.opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative]
 [[Category:Philosophy]]
 [[Category:Open Source]]
 [[Category:Free Software]]

← Older revision	Revision as of 03:35, May 21, 2022
(No difference)

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 ==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.
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 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==
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ** [[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]].

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 * [[Encryption]]: [[Cryptography]]-[[Cryptanalysis]]-[[Cryptology]]-[[Data encryption]]-[[Public-key encryption]]-[[Steganography]]
 * [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]]
-* [[Prism-break.org]] - Opt out of global data [[surveillance]] programs like [[PRISM]], [[XKeyscore]] and [[Tempora]].<ref>"Help make [[mass surveillance]] of entire populations uneconomical! We all have an [[unalienable right]] to [[privacy]], which you can exercise today by [[encrypting]] your communications and ending your reliance on proprietary products and services."</ref>
+* [[PRISM]]
-* [[One Nation, Under Surveillance - Privacy From the Watchful Eye]] by [[Boston T. Party]]
+* One Nation, Under Surveillance - Privacy From the Watchful Eye by [[Boston T. Party]]
 * [[Electronic Communications Privacy Act]] of 1986
 * [[Privacy Act of 1974]]
@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 {{reflist|2}}
 [[Category:Computer Security]]
 [[Category:Philosophy]]
 [[Category:Open Source]]
 [[Category:Free Software]]

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 *[http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ Firefox] - [[Firefox]] web browser developed by the [http://www.mozilla.org/foundation/ Mozilla Foundation].
 *[http://www.php.net/ PHP] - PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, a scripting language used to create dynamic web sites such as Conservapedia.
-*[[Linux]] - Operating system kernel used to create distributions such as the one running the server on which Conservapedia runs<ref>http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://www.conservapedia.com</ref>
+*[[Linux]] - Operating system kernel used to create distributions such as the one running the server which hosts Conservapedia<ref>http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://www.conservapedia.com</ref>
 ==Copyleft==