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