What is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) ?

Free and open-source software (FOSS) is software, the source code of which is openly available to its end users. This enables users and programmers to edit modify or reuse the software's source code and thereby improve the software. Generally, the softwares are considered open source if :

  • It is available in source code form without additional cost.
  • The source code can be repurposed into other new software.

Free in FOSS does not mean free of cost

Meaning of Free

Open source software does not necessarily mean that executable software is given away for free. It means that its source code is available for free. This is different from proprietary software, where the software is under restrictive copyright licensing and the source code is usually hidden from the users. ‘Cost' and ‘Customisation' are the two key advantages of FOSS.

Four essential freedoms of FOSS:

  1. The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose.
  2. The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
  3. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others.
  4. The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others. By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

Advantages of FOSS over Proprietary Software

FOSS vs Proprietary Software

  1. Personal control, customizability and freedom.
  2. Privacy and security.
  3. Low costs or no costs.
  4. Quality, collaboration and efficiency.
  5. Low costs or no costs.

How FOSS benefits the general public, not just programmers

FOSS for the people

Because many of the people who built the internet relied on opn-source software, anyone who uses the internet benefits from FOSS. When computer users browse the internet, check email, chat with friends, listen to music online, or play multiplayer video games, their computers, mobile phones, or gaming consoles connect to a global network of computers that uses open source software to route and transmit their data to the "local" devices in front of them. The computers that perform all of this critical work are usually located in remote locations that users cannot see or physically reach, which is why some people refer to them as "remote computers." These "remote computers" often run some form of FOSS, which means that you probably use FOSS software everyday, and you dont even know it.

Understand more about FOSS using the links below

References

  1. Free and open-source software
  2. Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS)
  3. Linux Jargon Buster: What is FOSS (Free and Open Source Software)? What is Open Source?
  4. The FOSS advantage
  5. What is Open-Source?