Open Source Software Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Open Source Software - Article Example For example, Linux is a good example of open source software that is competing with Microsoft, Apple and other. But depending upon the person some people still think that it is a temporary fashion in software industry another, on the contrary, believes that changes caused by open source will be deep enough and will shape the software industry of the first decade of 21st century. Open source software plays an important role in today’s world. Many people, organization, government sector are benefited by the open source software and are working towards development and support of it. In this paper philosophy of open source, definitions, advantages and disadvantages of open source software, some background history and motivation for open source software, Licences, Copyright Law and Patents, Economics of Open Source Software and at last impact of open source technology will be discussed. What is Open Source Software? : One can not define the Open Source Software in few words, because of many categories and variants that exist for Open Source Software. But it is not complicated and the term ‘Open Source Software’ itself gives an idea about it. Now before giving a definition from various people about the Open Source Software, first look at what general people think about the Open Source Software. General Idea of Open Source Software: The term ‘Open Source’ in Open Source Software refers to user’s freedom of use, redistribution, etc. One can not assume that Open Source Software and Free Software are same things. It can be said clearly that open source software does not have to be gratis.