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Open source software categories software#
This collaborative approach to software development led to the creation of many popular Open Source projects, like the Linux operating system and the Apache web server. The idea behind the GPL was simple: by making the source code freely available, anyone could see how the software worked, identify bugs, and suggest improvements. This led to the creation of the first Open Source Software license, the “GNU General Public License” (GPL), in 1989. However, a group of computer programmers and software developers became frustrated with this model and started to experiment with a new approach: sharing the source code with others and allowing them to contribute to its development. Before that time, software was usually proprietary and closely guarded by its creators, who would sell licenses to use the software and keep the source code confidential.
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The history of Open Source Software dates back to the early days of computing, but it really took off in the late 1980s and 1990s. By using Open Source Software, one can save money on software licenses and have access to a wider range of tools to get their work done. Some popular Open Source Software includes the Linux operating system, the Apache web server, and the Python programming language. This results in better and more reliable software as it benefits from the contributions of a global community of developers who can examine and improve the code. The idea behind Open Source is to promote collaboration and transparency in the development process. It’s like a recipe for cooking a dish that is open for anyone to see, change, and share with others. It is accessible to the public, allowing anyone to look at, modify, or distribute the code.
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Open source software categories software license#
In technical terms, Open Source refers to a type of software license that allows the source code to be freely available. But with Open Source Software, it’s like sharing the recipe with everyone so they can see exactly how the cake was made, and if they want, they can even make changes to the recipe and share their version with others.
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Normally, you would keep the recipe to yourself and not let others see it. Imagine you are making a cake and you want to share it with your friends. Let us first understand Open Source with the help of an example.
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