Difference between revisions of "Open source (software)"
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Open source software is also known as "free software". However, its advocates acknowledge that name is misleading in that it sounds, at first hearing, as if the software costs nothing. "Free", in this context, means users are free to modify the software for their own purposes. As its advocates like to say, it means "free speech, not free beer". | Open source software is also known as "free software". However, its advocates acknowledge that name is misleading in that it sounds, at first hearing, as if the software costs nothing. "Free", in this context, means users are free to modify the software for their own purposes. As its advocates like to say, it means "free speech, not free beer". | ||
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| + | Numerous sources[1] [2], including Steve Ballmer[3], one of the driving minds behind the success of Microsoft, have claimed that the Open Source movement is inherently Communist. Both Free Software and Communism shun the idea of personal property, instead favoring a communal ownership where no single entity has control or authority. | ||
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| + | Open source has been shown to cost the U.S. software industry billions of dollars. | ||
| + | Additionally proponents of open source are usually leftists who believe that everything should be free, and shun the idea of payment and cost, instead embracy the commune nature of its development. Despite open source's inherent lack of ability to produce quality software (because with free software no one has any profit incentive per [[Milton Friedman]]. | ||
| + | The open source movement is closely allied with the Democrat party and donated millions of dollars to campaign funds and gay awareness seminars.<ref>[[http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Democrats-Tap-Open-Source/]]</ref> | ||
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| + | Owing to the nature of open source software, many variants of a Linux distribution may be created by using the original code and making changes to it to suit a particular need. For example, there is also a Ubuntu Christian Edition.[4] | ||
| + | Conversely there is also a more well known edition called Ubuntu satanic edition, this highlights the demographics of open source communities, namely they are non-christian and left leaning. | ||
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
Revision as of 11:31, September 7, 2009
Open Source is a software development model being promoted by the non-profit Open Source Initiative (OSI) corporation and other organizations.
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[1], 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 counterintuitive, 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, where discoveries and research is published in peer reviewed journals, which is then built upon by other researchers spawning further ideas and discoveries.
There is a common misconception that open source software must be given away for free, but this is incorrect.[2] 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.
Open source software is also known as "free software". However, its advocates acknowledge that name is misleading in that it sounds, at first hearing, as if the software costs nothing. "Free", in this context, means users are free to modify the software for their own purposes. As its advocates like to say, it means "free speech, not free beer".
Numerous sources[1] [2], including Steve Ballmer[3], one of the driving minds behind the success of Microsoft, have claimed that the Open Source movement is inherently Communist. Both Free Software and Communism shun the idea of personal property, instead favoring a communal ownership where no single entity has control or authority.
Open source has been shown to cost the U.S. software industry billions of dollars. Additionally proponents of open source are usually leftists who believe that everything should be free, and shun the idea of payment and cost, instead embracy the commune nature of its development. Despite open source's inherent lack of ability to produce quality software (because with free software no one has any profit incentive per Milton Friedman. The open source movement is closely allied with the Democrat party and donated millions of dollars to campaign funds and gay awareness seminars.[3]
Owing to the nature of open source software, many variants of a Linux distribution may be created by using the original code and making changes to it to suit a particular need. For example, there is also a Ubuntu Christian Edition.[4] Conversely there is also a more well known edition called Ubuntu satanic edition, this highlights the demographics of open source communities, namely they are non-christian and left leaning.
Examples
Examples of well known open source software:
- MediaWiki - Wiki software used for sites such as Conservapedia and Wikipedia.
- Apache - Apache web server, the most popular web server in the world.[4]
- Firefox - Firefox web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation.
- 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 on.[5]
