foss:open_source

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foss:open_source [2025/12/05 10:13] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1foss:open_source [2026/03/16 11:07] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 > "As our society grows more dependent on computers, the software we run is of critical importance to securing the future of a free society. Free software is about having control over the technology we use in our homes, schools and businesses, where computers work for our individual and communal benefit, not for proprietary software companies or governments who might seek to restrict and monitor us." - Free Software Foundation > "As our society grows more dependent on computers, the software we run is of critical importance to securing the future of a free society. Free software is about having control over the technology we use in our homes, schools and businesses, where computers work for our individual and communal benefit, not for proprietary software companies or governments who might seek to restrict and monitor us." - Free Software Foundation
  
- +===== What is free & open source software? =====
-## What is free & open source software?+
  
 A lot more than software can be free / open source, but that’s what we’re focusing on here. Free & open source software (FOSS) is software that is free as in 'protecting your freedom'. Also, you're free to do what you like with it, so you can change it and pass it on to others. FOSS is the opposite of ‘closed source’, or proprietary software such as that produced by Microsoft or Apple, the code of which is not available for you to look at or modify, and you may be breaking the law if you do so. Richard Stallman wrote the [Four Freedoms](https://fsfe.org/freesoftware/basics/4freedoms.en.html) which include the rights to use, study, share and improve the software. A lot more than software can be free / open source, but that’s what we’re focusing on here. Free & open source software (FOSS) is software that is free as in 'protecting your freedom'. Also, you're free to do what you like with it, so you can change it and pass it on to others. FOSS is the opposite of ‘closed source’, or proprietary software such as that produced by Microsoft or Apple, the code of which is not available for you to look at or modify, and you may be breaking the law if you do so. Richard Stallman wrote the [Four Freedoms](https://fsfe.org/freesoftware/basics/4freedoms.en.html) which include the rights to use, study, share and improve the software.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Richard Stallman & the GNU logo.+_Richard Stallman & the GNU logo._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 Because it's free, if someone writes some code that does a specific job for them, it can be made available to someone else who can then amend it to do something different for them, and so on. The original software might have done something very basic and useful to just one person, but it can evolve into something very powerful and useful to a lot of people. It can benefit the original writer too, as it can still do the job it was first written for, but because of collaboration it has been improved - faults removed and functionality added. Because it's free, if someone writes some code that does a specific job for them, it can be made available to someone else who can then amend it to do something different for them, and so on. The original software might have done something very basic and useful to just one person, but it can evolve into something very powerful and useful to a lot of people. It can benefit the original writer too, as it can still do the job it was first written for, but because of collaboration it has been improved - faults removed and functionality added.
  
-Around 2% of the world's computers have an open source operating system (the free equivalent of MS Windows or Mac OS), but you can also run FOSS on a closed source operating system. Examples include Firefox (web browser), Thunderbird (email client), Libre Office (word processing, spreadsheets etc.), GIMP (image manipulation), MySQL (database) and VLC (media player) - and even the operating system itself (GNU/Linux).+Over 4% of the world's computers have an open source operating system (the free equivalent of MS Windows or Mac OS), but you can also run FOSS on a closed source operating system. Examples include Firefox (web browser), Thunderbird (email client), Libre Office (word processing, spreadsheets etc.), GIMP (image manipulation), MySQL (database) and VLC (media player) - and even the operating system itself (GNU/Linux).
  
 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Stephen Fry explains his enthusiasm for free software.+_Stephen Fry explains his enthusiasm for free software. (2009)_
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 In 1983, [Richard Stallman](https://stallman.org/) launched the GNU free software project, on which many people could collaborate, and in 1985 he founded the [Free Software Foundation](http://www.fsf.org/), to promote and assist the development of free software. In 1983, [Richard Stallman](https://stallman.org/) launched the GNU free software project, on which many people could collaborate, and in 1985 he founded the [Free Software Foundation](http://www.fsf.org/), to promote and assist the development of free software.
  
-In 1991, Linus Torvalds created the 'engine' for the first free / open source operating system called the Linux kernel. A kernel is the fundamental base of the code, like the engine of a car - you need a lot more than an engine to have a useful car, but it doesn't work without the engine. Also in the 90s, Richard Stallman was developing a free operating system that needed a kernel. He used the Linux kernel and the GNU/Linux operating system was born. It's often referred to as just Linux, but the correct term is the GNU/Linus operating system.+In 1991, Linus Torvalds created the 'engine' for the first free / open source operating system called the Linux kernel. A kernel is the fundamental base of the code, like the engine of a car - you need a lot more than an engine to have a useful car, but it doesn't work without the engine. Also in the 90s, Richard Stallman was developing a free operating system that needed a kernel. He used the Linux kernel and the GNU/Linux operating system was born. It's usually referred to as just Linux, [[wp>GNU/Linux_naming_controversy|but some argue]] that the correct term is the GNU/Linux operating system.
  
 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
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 <caption> <caption>
-From the top: Mozilla Firefox; GIMP; MySQL.+_From the top: Mozilla Firefox; GIMP; MySQL._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Fedora (Linux) user interface.+_Fedora (Linux) user interface._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Mozilla Thunderbird; Libre Office; VLC Media Player.+_Mozilla Thunderbird; Libre Office; VLC Media Player._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Linus Torvalds & the Linux logo.+_Linus Torvalds & the Linux logo._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## Specialist(s) 
  
 +## Related topics
 +
 +- [Blockchain](bloc:blockchain)
 +- [Commoning](comg:commoning)
 +- [Commons economy](coec:commons_economy)
 +- [Copyleft](cple:copyleft)
 +- [Low-impact IT](liit:it)
 +- [Downshifting](down:downshifting)
 +- [Low-impact shopping](lish:shopping)
 +- [Wikis](wiks:wikis)
 +- [Low-impact money](limo:money)
 +- [Platform co-ops](pltc:platform_co-ops)
 +
 +## Specialist curators of this topic
 +
 +* [[p:Simon Grant]]
  
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