Open to Misinterpretation
Before "open source", before free software, there was software in the public domain. You could say that software in the public domain was truly free. The code was "open source" and the user had the right to take it, break it, appropriate it, re-use it, package it, sell it, re-brand and license it, or do what you will with it.
The problem with software in the public domain, was that, more often than not, any changes to the software didn't come back to the developer in any usable form, and modifications didn't revert to the original maintainer of the code. In some cases the software was appropriated and relicensed by the user. In other words there was no guarantee that the software would remain free, or would grow.
The solution to this problem was the GPL. Not only did the GPL protect free software and keep it free, but it opened the door for a community to form around the software in the knowledge that contributions were fed back into the original body of code. The often criticised "viral" nature of copyleft and the GPL was the instrument that fostered participation and feedback from the community, and provided the framework for the later success of free and "open source" software.
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
- 1478 reads
- PDF version
More in Tux Machines
- Highlights
- Front Page
- Latest Headlines
- Archive
- Recent comments
- All-Time Popular Stories
- Hot Topics
- New Members
digiKam 7.7.0 is releasedAfter three months of active maintenance and another bug triage, the digiKam team is proud to present version 7.7.0 of its open source digital photo manager. See below the list of most important features coming with this release. |
Dilution and Misuse of the "Linux" Brand
|
Samsung, Red Hat to Work on Linux Drivers for Future TechThe metaverse is expected to uproot system design as we know it, and Samsung is one of many hardware vendors re-imagining data center infrastructure in preparation for a parallel 3D world. Samsung is working on new memory technologies that provide faster bandwidth inside hardware for data to travel between CPUs, storage and other computing resources. The company also announced it was partnering with Red Hat to ensure these technologies have Linux compatibility. |
today's howtos
|
Recent comments
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago