Open Source Technology

The document contains the preface.

The document contains the acknowledgement.

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The- typical computer user owns lots of software that he bought years ago and no longer uses today. He might have upgraded his computer or changed brands, and then the program wouldn't work any longer. The software might have become old. The program may simply not do what he needs. He may have bought two or more computers, and doesn't want to pay for a second copy of the software. Whatever the reason, the software that he paid for years ago is not doing the task today. Does that really need to happen ?

In late 1970s and early 1980s, two different groups were establishing the roots of the current open source software movement :
• On the US East coast, Richard Stallman, formerly a programmer at the MIT AI Lab, resigned, and launched the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation. The ultimate goal of the GNU Project was to build a free operating system, and Richard started by coding some programming tools (a compiler, an editor, etc.). As a legal tool, the GNU General Public License (GPL) was designed not only to ensure that the software produced by GNU will remain free, but to promote the production of more and more free software. On the philosophical side, Richard Stallman also wrote the GNU Manifesto, stating that availability of source code and freedom to redistribute and modify software are fundamental rights.

The Apache License (Apache Software License previous to version 2.0) is a free software license authored by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). The Apache License (versions 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0) requires preservation of the copyright notice and disclaimer, but it is not a Copyleft license - it allows use of the source code for the development of free and open source software as well as proprietary and closed source software.

Vaporware is software that is 'floated' to see if there is interest. Many projects, if donated to the open source methodology would find usage, development and markets much quicker. Lost code might be re~urrected and enhanced. More and more computer users are learning to use the excellent development tools created and enhanced by programmers. If you have a good idea, open source is a way of making it happen.

Richard Stallman's organization is called the Free Software Foundation, not the Open Source Software Foundation. There's a reference to "FSF's mission to preserve, protect and promote the freedom to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer software." This is missionary zeal. However, it's not the reason for the success of open source software. It is critically important that we think clearly bookmaking money through traditional methods, such as sale of the use of individual copies and patent royalty payment, is more difficult and sometimes impractical with open source software.

The document contains the index.