What is "Open Source"?

Watch out - technical language below!! (Written for the beginner.)

Sharing secrets

To begin with, all software programs are originally written in code - letters and numbers - and then "compiled" - turned into "executable" files.

"Open Source" means that the original programming code is freely available to anyone - so many people can participate in developing the software.

Most Open Source development happens in the "GNU/Linux" community. However there are many Open Source programs for Windows or Apple machines as well.

(Linux is the 'kernel' or core of a free operating system, based in Unix. An operating system is the set of programs that runs a computer. MS Windows remains the most well known.)

However, there is a scale of freedom. Open Source is not the same as Free Software. And freeware is not the same as free software. Shareware is almost the same as commercial software anyway.

Growing popularity

A growing number of computer users around the world are taking up Open Source software. Governments in Germany, Korea, Mexico, India and China, are all investigating the possibilities. A recent article in the Economist online recounts the current changes.

"Open Source" .org

"GNU/Linux" community

Open Source is not the same as Free Software

A recent article in the Economist online recounts the current changes in governments worldwide

Adult Language & Literacy Learning - meets - Online & Open Source - Flexible Learning Leaders (FLL03)

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