| In the past, open source is often viewed as a | | | | quit his position and start the GNU project |
| free software. Well, that's in the past. The | | | | and the free software foundation. Their goal |
| main difference between a free software and | | | | was to create a free operating system. This |
| open source is the availability of the source | | | | then led them to designing the GNU General |
| code. Open Source software allows people to | | | | Public License that was used as a legal |
| make changes to the software and they are | | | | implication so that it ensured that the |
| freely distributed. | | | | software would always remain free. This |
| | | | license was used to promote the development |
| When we ponder on the last sentence we can | | | | of more software that are free. |
| see that these ideas creates some of the most | | | | |
| spectacular projects that is available today. | | | | Richard Stallman then went on to write the |
| It is due to all these reasons that we get to | | | | GNU manifesto that stated the availability of |
| use fantastic software without cost. Some of | | | | source code and the freedom to modify and |
| the great software include Mozilla Firefox | | | | re-distribute it are fundamental rights. |
| and Linux Operating System. Where as it is | | | | Respectively on the west coast the computer |
| completely free to distribute there is an | | | | science research group were improving the |
| organization formed of volunteers to regulate | | | | UNIX system which then went on to become "BSD |
| these creations. Whereas the source code is | | | | Unix". |
| regulated by some of the organization so as | | | | |
| not to see it take steps backwards in | | | | If we move on swiftly to the 1980's and 90's |
| development terms, it leaves the door open to | | | | the scene then started to change immensely as |
| massive opportunity in terms of growth. | | | | strong user communities were built using |
| | | | USENET and the Internet. Open source has |
| Many people may think that open source | | | | continued in this development in various |
| software is something that is relatively | | | | groups. As a result of the user communities |
| young but its history stems back more that | | | | it led to the software that had been |
| four decades and its journey is one of the | | | | developed being merged and integrated which |
| longest in the history of software. From some | | | | resulted in complete environments being able |
| extensive research I discovered that it was | | | | to be built on top of UNIX using open source |
| in the 1960's IBM and others were starting to | | | | software. As we move into the early 1990s a |
| sell large scale commercial computers that | | | | student from Finland was implementing the |
| came with free software where the source code | | | | first prototype of the Linux system. This |
| could be modified and improved. As | | | | move caused many people to work together and |
| proprietary firms then started to stop free | | | | make the system more usable for the |
| distribution of software and start charging | | | | mainstream. Soon, the GNU/Linux OS was made |
| users for it, it then led to the foundations | | | | available. |
| of the current open source movement that we | | | | |
| know today being formed by two groups in the | | | | These events would later change the open |
| late 70's and early 80's. In the East Coast | | | | source model so that we today can enjoy these |
| of America, one group was found. Soon another | | | | software for free. What an amazing journey |
| group was also founded in the West Coast. | | | | open source is and even more fascinating is |
| | | | that fact that it has enriched to world of |
| A programmer named Richard Stallman worked | | | | information technology and our lives |
| for MIT artificial intelligence decided to | | | | immensely. |