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In this series of articles we’ll tell you about open source software, the open development philosophy, as well as Free software (though similar, not the same as open source). We’ll tell you what it is, who’s producing it, how, where, and why to get it.
We'll also give you some insights into the role of open source and free software development in modern computing, and the challenges developers are facing.

The basic principles and causes

The perceived image of open source software, the open source community, and the wide variety of ‘open/free’ products, as alternate, or niche, is as inappropriate as it is inaccurate. Open source and Free software is well known to be cutting edge, and industry leading.

For context, bear in mind that in the early days of software developent, (1950’s - 1970’s), a lot computer technology, and most of it's related software, was relatively ‘open’.   Computer hardware designers and manufacturers were very keen to have software designers understand and work with their products, and possibly design new software programs to provide improved functionality. To facilitate further development and refinements, advancements and discoveries were frequently openly disseminated. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, as development firms and individuals began to apply copyright protections and patents, the first open source, and free software licenses, designed to protect and ensure the continued freedom and availability of the source code, including the right to use, modify, and redistribute, bagan to appear.

The introductory paragraph in the Wikipedia.org listing describes open source this way:

“Open source is a set of principles and practices on how to write software. Literally ”open source“ means the source code is available to the users. The Open Source Definition, which was created by Bruce Perens and Eric Raymond and is currently maintained by the Open Source Initiative, adds additional meaning to the term. One should not only get the source code but also have the right to use it. If the latter is denied the license is categorized as a shared source license”

...source Wikipedia.org

The Free Software Foundation’s definition of “free software”, (verbatim):

• The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
• The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
• The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
• The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

Freedom, as in Freedom of Speech

Though similar, the requirements of this definition differ from the Open Source Initiative’s version, and it should be noted that the Free Software Foundation places special emphasis on ‘free’ in the context of freedom of speech, not free, as in ‘free-beer’. [an historical point of interest worth mentioning is that some of the first steps towards free and open source licensing came about because a young programmer who had made improvements to an early xerox photocopier’s software program, and was subsequently refused access to the source code of a newer model’s software, considered the industry trend towards proprietorial licensing disturbing enough, to begin actively establishing and promoting free and open licencing agreements. (source: Wikipedia/R. Stallman)].
The Open Source Initiative’s licencing definitions are broader, and divergent from the Free Software Foundation’s in that it’s content aims to address the practicalities of reproduction, distribution, and modification rights, as they apply to programmers, software developers, and users, while the Free Software Foundation’s seeks to preserve these freedoms in their entirety as social necessities.
*Note:This link will get you to the FSF site, (Richard Stallmans article “Why Free Software”).

The Community

One of the main principles behind open source and free software projects is community involvement. It’s the defining element of free and open source software projects. A community commanding a fifty percent plus market share in some areas of computing, exactly because of this type of involment.
We’ve had a glance at the basics of free and open source. In next weeks instalment, we’ll take a closer look at the community. We’ll introduce some of the key proponents of free and open source software, the community’s leaders, and how it all affects the computing industry.