| Open Source Software and its Relation to | | | | share there ideas with others. Once computer |
| osCommerce E-commerce sites such as | | | | became more mainstream and people other than |
| osCommerce function through the use and continued | | | | programmers began using programs, the need (and |
| success of open source software - in fact, open | | | | desire) for the source code declined. This is when |
| source software is what makes these sites free. So | | | | software companies began realizing the economical |
| what exactly is open source software? The purpose | | | | benefits of keeping their source code for software |
| of article is to help you better understand what open | | | | private. This also began the influx of new and |
| source software is. Basically, open source is based on | | | | incompatible operating systems which further declined |
| the idea that when people have access to a | | | | the ability for programmers to share and collaborate |
| software's source code they can change, improve | | | | with one another. While there are benefits to |
| and evolve a piece of software at astonishing | | | | creating and selling software in this manner, some |
| speeds - a characteristic that ends up produces really | | | | programmers realized the limits this posed on the |
| great software that meets the needs of its users. | | | | usability of the software. Without keeping the source |
| Open source software is not just free code for | | | | code open, the users were bound to the limits of the |
| website and software. Open source software is | | | | software and were not able to alter it to fit their |
| "governed" by the Open Source Initiative. According | | | | individual needs. This is what began the development |
| to the website for the Open Source Initiative it must | | | | of the GNU Public License operating system for open |
| meet several criteria to actually qualify as open | | | | source software. The premise behind renewing the |
| source: First of all open source software must not | | | | concept of open source software is that software |
| restrict anyone from selling (or giving away) the | | | | development would be faster and more efficient in |
| software. In other words, it cannot require a royalty | | | | giving people the programs they need and want to |
| or fee. For a product to be open source, it must also | | | | use. Today, open source software is becoming more |
| provide the source code so that the users can easily | | | | and more mainstream and is used quite frequently on |
| evolve the software to fit their needs and any | | | | the internet for websites and browsers. How does it |
| software created with free software must be free | | | | all relate to osCommerce? Obvious by its name, |
| as well. Furthermore, open source software | | | | osCommerce is based on the concept of open |
| distribution cannot discriminate against people or fields. | | | | source software. This means that osCommerce is |
| So, how did this concept begin? Most experts on | | | | free to use and the community members can feed |
| open source software will agree that the concept of | | | | off of one another to continually develop the code |
| open source software began with the creation of | | | | that they use. The store owners don't simply |
| the internet which was created and improved upon | | | | purchase a software program (such as a shopping |
| by it's users who continually changed the code to | | | | cart code) that they need to implement as is. They |
| make it work for them. Then, when computers were | | | | can design, develop and evolve their store presence |
| first used, programs were often sent as a printed | | | | to meet their changing needs. The beauty of open |
| version that had to be entered into the computer line | | | | source code in a situation such as this is that the |
| by line. Programmers not only entered the programs | | | | members of the community can help one another |
| onto the computers, they also were able to "play" | | | | develop new code on an ongoing basis. |
| with the programs and make changes as well as | | | | |