| Open-source software is computer software | | | | individuals at the session included Todd |
| whose source code is available under a | | | | Anderson, Larry Augustin, John Hall, Sam |
| license (or arrangement such as the public | | | | Ockman, Christine Peterson and Eric S. |
| domain) that permits users to study, change, | | | | Raymond. They used the opportunity before the |
| and improve the software, and to redistribute | | | | release of Navigator's source code to clarify |
| it in modified or unmodified form. It is | | | | a potential confusion caused by the ambiguity |
| often developed in a public, collaborative | | | | of the word "free" in English. The 'open |
| manner. It is the most prominent example of | | | | source' movement is generally thought to have |
| open source development and often compared to | | | | begun with this strategy session. Many |
| user generated content. | | | | people, nevertheless, claimed that the birth |
| | | | of the Internet, since 1969, started the open |
| In 1998, a group of individuals advocated | | | | source movement, while others do not |
| that the term free software be replaced by | | | | distinguish between open source and free |
| open source software (OSS) as an expression | | | | software movements. |
| which is less ambiguous and more comfortable | | | | |
| for the corporate world. Software developers | | | | The Free Software Foundation (FSF), started |
| may want to publish their software with an | | | | in 1985, intended the word 'free' to mean |
| open source software license, so that anybody | | | | "free as in free speech" and not "free as in |
| may also develop the same software or | | | | free beer." Since a great deal of free |
| understand how it works. Open source software | | | | software already was (and still is) free of |
| generally allows anybody to make a new | | | | charge, such free software became associated |
| version of the software, port it to new | | | | with zero cost, which seemed anti-commercial. |
| operating systems and processor | | | | |
| architectures, share it with others or market | | | | The Open Source Initiative (OSI) was formed |
| it. The aim of open source is to let the | | | | in February 1998 by Eric S. Raymond and Bruce |
| product be more understandable, modifiable, | | | | Perens. With at least 20 years of evidence |
| duplicatable, reliable or simply accessible, | | | | from case histories of closed development |
| while it is still marketable. | | | | versus open development already provided by |
| | | | the Internet, the OSI presented the 'open |
| The Open Source Definition, notably, presents | | | | source' case to commercial businesses, like |
| an open-source philosophy, and further | | | | Netscape. The OSI hoped that the usage of the |
| defines a boundary on the usage, modification | | | | label "open source," a term suggested by |
| and redistribution of open-source software. | | | | Peterson of the Foresight Institute at the |
| Software licenses grant rights to users which | | | | strategy session, would eliminate ambiguity, |
| would otherwise be prohibited by copyright. | | | | particularly for individuals who perceive |
| These include rights on usage, modification | | | | "free software" as anti-commercial. They |
| and redistribution. Several open-source | | | | sought to bring a higher profile to the |
| software licenses have qualified within the | | | | practical benefits of freely available source |
| boundary of the Open Source Definition. The | | | | code, and they wanted to bring major software |
| most prominent example is the popular GNU | | | | businesses and other high-tech industries |
| General Public License (GPL). While open | | | | into open source. Perens attempted to |
| source presents a way to broadly make the | | | | register "open source" as a service mark for |
| sources of a product publicly accessible, the | | | | the OSI, but that attempt was impractical by |
| open-source licenses allow the authors to | | | | trademark standards. Meanwhile, thanks to the |
| fine tune such access. | | | | presentation of Raymond's paper to the upper |
| | | | management at Netscape (Raymond only |
| The "open source" label came out of a | | | | discovered when he read the Press Release, |
| strategy session held in Palo Alto in | | | | and was called by Netscape CEO Jim |
| reaction to Netscape's January 1998 | | | | Barksdale's PA later in the day), Netscape |
| announcement of a source code release for | | | | released its Navigator source code as open |
| Navigator (as Mozilla). A group of | | | | source, with favorable results. |