What is Open Source? Here is an FAQ document Ankit Malik wrote last year for a non- techie magazine.
You have seen it on the TV, you have read about it on the Internet. Infact IBM’s latest ad too flaunts it. Open Source- the latest rage on the computing front has taken everyone by surprise by its humble yet surprisingly effective ways.
What follows are a series of FAQs to demystify Open Source.
:: What is Open Source ?
Open Source is the practice of sharing the code which goes on to makes a software. Usually proprietary software makers don’t release the source code for their software, but Open source advocates free sharing of the code.
:: Why would anyone want to do that ?
Simple reasons: Quality. Two is always better than one. No software is perfect. Each has its share of glitches. Now if the code is not distributed, only the developers will have access to it, and only by their efforts will the glitches be removed from the source code. For example, the Windows operating system is proprietary and closed source, and so is frequently subjected to critical flaws, security threats etc.
On the other hand, Open Source ensures that the code is available to thousands of developers around the world. With more than a thousand eyes hovering over the source code, flaws are likely to be identified much faster.
Also, Open Source ensures better quality of software. Any developer can look at its code and post his suggestions to further improve the software. This is not the case with closed source software.
:: What are its benefits to the end user ?
With a more secure software at work, the user has less viruses and bugs to worry upon.
Also the user doesn’t have to rely on proprietary formats to rule his precious documents. By using proprietary formats for the documents, users are trapped into a system that compels them to buy each upgrade whether they want a change or not.
With Open source, one can see the code and develop a plugin for its format so that the file can be converted into another format.
:: I am interested. I want to know more ?
The following URLs might help you in gaining more knowledge about the world of Open Source and its functioning.
http://opensource.org/
http://sourceforge.net/
http://freshmeat.net
More Reads:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html
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