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What Is Open Source Software

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38 views

What Is Open Source Software

Gjjkdkekskiwjsj

Uploaded by

pranshu1998
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is open source software?

Open source software is software with source code that anyone can
inspect, modify, and enhance.

"Source code" is the part of software that most computer users don't ever
see; it's the code computer programmers can manipulate to change how a
piece of software—a "program" or "application"—works. Programmers who
have access to a computer program's source code can improve that
program by adding features to it or fixing parts that don't always work
correctly.

What's the difference between open source software


and other types of software?
Some software has source code that only the person, team, or organization
who created it—and maintains exclusive control over it—can modify.
People call this kind of software "proprietary" or "closed source" software.

Only the original authors of proprietary software can legally copy, inspect,
and alter that software. And in order to use proprietary software, computer
users must agree (usually by signing a license displayed the first time they
run this software) that they will not do anything with the software that the
software's authors have not expressly permitted. Microsoft Office and
Adobe Photoshop are examples of proprietary software.

Open source software is different. Its authors make its source code
available to others who would like to view that code, copy it, learn from it,
alter it, or share it. LibreOffice and the GNU Image Manipulation Program
are examples of open source software.

As they do with proprietary software, users must accept the terms of a


license when they use open source software—but the legal terms of open
source licenses differ dramatically from those of proprietary licenses.

Open source licenses affect the way people can use, study, modify, and
distribute software. In general, open source licenses grant computer
users permission to use open source software for any purpose they wish.
Some open source licenses—what some people call "copyleft"
licenses—stipulate that anyone who releases a modified open source
program must also release the source code for that program alongside it.
Moreover, some open source licenses stipulate that anyone who alters and
shares a program with others must also share that program's source code
without charging a licensing fee for it.

By design, open source software licenses promote collaboration and


sharing because they permit other people to make modifications to source
code and incorporate those changes into their own projects. They
encourage computer programmers to access, view, and modify open
source software whenever they like, as long as they let others do the same
when they share their work.

Why do people prefer using open source software?


People prefer open source software to proprietary software for a number of
reasons, including:

Control. Many people prefer open source software because they have
more control over that kind of software. They can examine the code to
make sure it's not doing anything they don't want it to do, and they can
change parts of it they don't like. Users who aren't programmers also
benefit from open source software, because they can use this software for
any purpose they wish—not merely the way someone else thinks they
should.

Training. Other people like open source software because it helps them
become better programmers. Because open source code is publicly
accessible, students can easily study it as they learn to make better
software. Students can also share their work with others, inviting comment
and critique, as they develop their skills. When people discover mistakes in
programs' source code, they can share those mistakes with others to help
them avoid making those same mistakes themselves.

Security. Some people prefer open source software because they consider
it more secure and stable than proprietary software. Because anyone can
view and modify open source software, someone might spot and correct
errors or omissions that a program's original authors might have missed.
And because so many programmers can work on a piece of open source
software without asking for permission from original authors, they can fix,
update, and upgrade open source software more quickly than they can
proprietary software.

Stability. Many users prefer open source software to proprietary software


for important, long-term projects. Because programmers publicly distribute
the source code for open source software, users relying on that software
for critical tasks can be sure their tools won't disappear or fall into disrepair
if their original creators stop working on them. Additionally, open source
software tends to both incorporate and operate according to open
standards.

Community. Open source software often inspires a community of users


and developers to form around it. That's not unique to open source; many
popular applications are the subject of meetups and user groups. But in the
case of open source, the community isn't just a fanbase that buys in
(emotionally or financially) to an elite user group; it's the people who
produce, test, use, promote, and ultimately affect the software they love.

To Open Source or Not to Open Source

When deciding whether to open source a product or not, you can consider
things like:

​ Security, legal, and competitive reasons


​ Some parts of a product may need to be kept internal for these reasons.
​ Community feedback
​ Some parts of a product may benefit from being exposed to a community of
engineers who can provide feedback and improve the solution.
​ Collaboration
​ Open source software can enable collaboration between users and external
contributors.
​ Adoption
​ Open source projects can encourage adoption of a standard, which can lead to
more rapid evolution and innovation.
​ Cost
​ Open source software is usually free, but some features and technical support
may cost extra.
​ Community influence
​ Open source communities can influence the direction of a project, but they also
require a lot of work to keep alive.

Open source software has some advantages and disadvantages,


including:

Advantages Disadvantages

Collaboratio Users can contribute to fixing bugs and Can be harder to use and adopt
n adding features

Stability Users can depend on the source code Can pose compatibility issues
for long-term projects

Innovation Open source projects can drive Communities can take a lot of
innovation work to keep alive

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