Open source software makes your source code available to all users.Each and every software has a source code, which is the set of lines of programming codes.The concept of Open Source is similar to Free Software. The main difference is in license details.
Although These Softwares Have Good Quality. But There Are Certain Criteria For Open Source Softwares
• Free redistribution ; the open source license does not charge any royalties or any other kind of cost for sale.
• Source code ; the software must aggregate the source code and must allow distribution in the source code form
• The license should not discriminate against any specific person or business.
The best known Open Source software is the Linux operating system.It is modified and can be downloaded into several different program groups called distributions. The most popular are Debian (which includes Ubuntu ), Fedora and openSUSE .
The most widely used worldwide programs that have open source are;
• Mozilla Firefox
• Perf
• Apache HTTP Server
• Linux
• OpenOffice
• Gimp
• Amule
Some types of Open Source Licenses
- BSD (Berkeley Source Distribution) License: requires copyright notice about the author.
- GPL (General Public License): also known as Copyleft, prohibits restrictions on derivative and redistributed products.
- LGPL (Library General Public License): it differs from the GPL because the libraries under this license can freely be linked to proprietary software.
- Artistic License : allows the author to keep control of further developments.
- NPL (Netscape Public License): a new license in the spirit of the GPL, but retains control and ownership of the source code.
- Public domain / No copyright / Unrestricted: often used for fundamental algorithms to encourage widespread use by the US government.
7 Advantages Of Using Open Source software
Reduced risk.Having the source code gives customers control over the tools of their business. When a developer of an Open Source product raises his prices excessively, he adds unacceptable license restrictions, and somehow loses his customers. This means that another company that regularly uses Open Source code can start another product that solves the problems of the original developer. Customers can also choose to keep the software on their own or hire someone else to meet their needs. This level of control is often unknown to traditional proprietary software models.
Quality. Many studies have shown a critical advantage of seriousness of Open Source software compared to many other commercial products. The most effective development models, the decisive possibility to review both the code and the design and the merit of being an author contribute to this phenomenon. Some companies go further, offering rewards for finding errors in their software.
Transparency. Proprietary software has many dark corners where errors can be hidden. The source code is crucial for debugging and understanding how a product works. In large companies, few employees have access to the source code and employees who have access to it are rarely available to customers. Access to the source code is also essential in the search and correction of unforeseen security holes and behaviors.
Uniqueness of features.
Some Open Source products, including many of those previously seen, have been so decisive since there are no other commercial competitors.Open Source gives customers more opportunities to customize the software to meet their needs. Large companies can save many costs with minimal customization on a large scale. The corrections of errors detected by customers often become part of the Open Source packages (thus becoming maintained); this possibility does not exist with traditional commercial software.
License and favorable costs. By definition, Open Source software has a much more flexible license than proprietary software. This can substantially reduce the costs and work required for further installations, especially in companies with time or labor costs. It also gives customers more flexibility in the way the software is distributed and can eliminate some of the license details efforts.
