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Open source

  • 11-03-2006 12:00am
    #1
    EireRoadUser
    Closed Accounts Posts: 650 ✭✭✭


    Whats the story with open source ?????
    I'm not a programmer but just wondering what the term means exactly.

    Im not a priest either


Comments

  • #2
    bpmurray
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭bpmurray


    It generally means that a program's source code is available to all. The source code is the human-readable form of a program that's then converted to what the computer understands, by means of a compiler (that's a generalization).

    There are usually conditions attached, e.g. the Gnu Public Licence states that if you use Gnu stuff with your program, then you have to release your programs under the GPL too. At the other end of the spectrum are things like the Eclipse licence which basically says you can do what you like with the Eclipse code, including repackaging it and selling it.

    If you read Eric Raymond's article (now a book?) entitled The Cathedral and the Bazaar (http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/) you'll understand the ideas behind open source much better.


  • #3
    EireRoadUser
    Closed Accounts Posts: 650 ✭✭✭EireRoadUser


    thanks murray ,very much appreciated and understood

    Cheers.


  • #4
    Karoma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Source

    Open Source essentially means "source code made available".

    GNU / Free software invariably gets a mention when Open Source does.
    I'd just ask that you read the above article or other sources and note that there are distinct differences. (I'll leave it at that:p)


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