Open Source

Open source refers to the procedure in releasing and making the source code of a program available free to users and other program developers. They can then utilise and appropriately tailor the source code to suit their needs. Another name for open source would be “free software” as it can be obtained at no cost. Open source can be customised, modified and redistributed to fulfil the user’s needs and requirements; whether it is corporate, educational or personal. The foundation of open source is to share and permit everyone and anyone to analyse and modify the code if necessary. It is software that is relaxed or made free from copyright restrictions; therefore any public body has the right to lawfully obtain information by request or observation. There are no restrictions on the use or distribution by any organisation or user; some examples of open source include Linux, Apache, PHP and MySQL.

The philosophy of open source is the freedom of distribution within a community of programmers and the liberty to modify and improve the code. It is a free commodity due to the absence of copyright and patent laws. It is a method of launching a product where the material is accessible and shared by the community who creates and uses it. Rather than a proprietary secret, source codes are made complimentary for public to obtain, analyse, modify and further enhance.

Open source has given businesses the ability to achieve a more profound entrance into the software market. There are companies who offer open source software in order to establish an industry standard and secure an advantage in competitiveness. Developer loyalty has also prospered due to their sense of ownership of the completed product. Marketing and logistic expenses are not necessary for open source software, as a result companies have the aptitude to concentrate and invest in the technology developments to generate reliable, high quality software that is faster and more economical. There will also be greater potentials for technology flexibility and rapid innovations. Open source allows thousands of independent programmers to collaborate, test and repair errors found in software. This will of course better the quality of software due to the considerable collaboration of diverse users, programmers and other active individuals from an extensive range of backgrounds.

References:
Deitel & Associates. Internet & World Wide Web: How to Program. Third Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc, 2004