What Open Source Means & Why It’s Important?

Open-source software is a category of software that is available for public use, modification, and distribution. The source code is made available by the copyright holder, who grants a license or control of the code to anyone who wishes to modify it. An example of open-source software is Arduino, which is entirely open source, as we believe it benefits everyone.

Open source licensing involves a legal agreement called a licensing agreement, in which a property owner grants others permission to use their brand, patent, or trademark. The two parties involved are typically the licensor (the party who owns the brand/patent/trademark) and the licensee (the party seeking permission to use it). This agreement is a contract that outlines the terms and conditions for how the two parties will work together. Its purpose is to ensure that both parties have a clear understanding of how they will operate, and that any potential disputes around sales, product quality, or commission are resolved before they become an issue.

The concept of open source is not new and can be traced back to ancient times when technical information was shared among scholars through published manuscripts. However, the modern idea of open source in the context of economic and industrial application can be attributed to Henry Ford, who challenged a monopolist patent in 1911 and formed a group of manufacturers that openly shared patents among each other.

In the early development of software languages and applications in the 1950s and 1960s, academics were the main contributors, and they shared their software ideas with corporate researchers under the public domain. The first open-source software was the A-2 system developed at the UNIVAC division of Remington Rand in 1953, which was released to customers along with its source code.

As software companies became more competitive and protective of their products, many applications, such as word processing and spreadsheets, became proprietary. However, the informal sharing of software continued, and the free software movement was born. Richard Stallman is considered the founder of this movement, which launched open source software applications that include complete office applications and games.

 Most notable open source software applications available today:

1. Linux Operating System: Linux is an open source operating system that is widely used for servers, desktops, and mobile devices. It is known for its stability, security, and flexibility.

2. Mozilla Firefox: Firefox is an open source web browser that is known for its speed, privacy features, and extensibility. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

3. Apache Web Server: Apache is an open-source web server that is used to serve millions of websites worldwide. It is known for its stability, performance, and security.

4. LibreOffice: LibreOffice is an open-source office suite that includes a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a presentation program, and other applications. It is compatible with Microsoft Office formats and supports multiple languages.

5. WordPress: WordPress is an open-source content management system that is used to create websites and blogs. It is known for its ease of use, flexibility, and extensibility.

6. GIMP: GIMP is an open-source image editing program that is similar to Adobe Photoshop. It is used for tasks such as photo retouching, image composition, and graphic design.

7. VLC Media Player: VLC is an open-source media player that is used to play audio and video files. It is known for its compatibility with multiple file formats and its ability to play DVDs and online streams.

8. Blender: Blender is an open-source 3D modeling program that is used to create animations, visual effects, and games. It is known for its flexibility, speed, and powerful features.

9. Git: Git is an open-source version control system that is used to track changes in software projects. It is widely used by software developers and is known for its speed, security, and branching features.

10. Audacity: Audacity is an open-source audio editing program that is used to record and edit sound files. It is known for its ease of use, powerful editing tools, and support for multiple platforms.