What is Open Source? – IT PRO

Open source software is everywhere. It underpins virtually the entire technology sector, with every single element of IT relying on at least one open source component.

For those who aren't aware, free and open source software (commonly abbreviated to FOSS) is software and tools that are made freely available online. Not only are they free to download, install and use, the creators also publish the source code for these programs - their 'DNA'. This means anyone can recreate, tweak, improve or modify them as they see fit.

Common examples of open source software include Linux-based operating systems like Ubuntu, Linux Mint or FreeBSD, along with alternatives to paid-for software like Adobe Photoshop rival GIMP or Microsoft Office replacement LibreOffice.

Alongside user-facing programs such as these, a huge amount of back-end technology is built using open-source tools and frameworks. The vast majority of server operating systems are open source, as are the database tools and development utilities used to manage and configure them.

Without open source, the web as we know it wouldn't exist. What's more, if open source technology disappeared tomorrow, it would quickly collapse.

The history of open source software

Open source software has its roots in the very birth of software and computing itself. The field was first pioneered by scientists, researchers and academics with information and knowledge being freely and widely shared.

As commercial software companies started to emerge over the next few decades, the practice of freely sharing source code began to decline. However, while corporations were unwilling to share the fruits of their labour, there remained a devoted contingent of hobbyists and enthusiasts who were still committed to writing and distributing open source code.

One of the ways in which programmers shared their code was via computing books and magazines, which featured full reproductions of source code for readers to copy and use. This became particularly popular with the rise of home computers like the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum, which could be used to create basic games.

As more and more computers became connected to the internet, programmers started sharing their code with each other online. This led to a substantial increase in the number of available open source projects, and eventually to the creation of the Linux kernel by Linus Torvalds.

The term 'open source' was first adopted by advocates of these principles in 1998. It grew steadily in popularity and sophistication over the next few years and although open source software was previously known mainly to hardcore computing enthusiasts and programming geeks, it has now achieved a wide level of visibility and acceptance, both in the public eye and within the enterprise community.

Why is open source useful?

The main attraction of open source software for many is that it's free; rather than shelling out a fortune for a Microsoft Office license, cash-strapped users can simply download a free alternative that does much the same thing.

For programmers and developers, the benefits of releasing your creations as open source software are increased feedback and collaboration. Your peers are free to change and improve your code, adding features you may not have thought of or simplifying it to make it more efficient.

Common wisdom also holds that open source software is more secure - after all, the more people are reviewing and working with a piece of code, the more likely it is that any potential errors or security holes will be spotted. On the other hand, the fact that the Heartbleed bug went undetected in the OpenSSL code for so long does throw some doubt on this theory.

How do companies make money from open source?

"But wait," you might say, "if open source software is free, then how can companies like Red Hat and Canonical make money from it?"

This is because organisations that specialise in open source products don't generally make money from sales of the software itself - anyone can download and use it.

Instead, many will offer an enhanced version of their products that enterprises can pay to use. These commonly include greater flexibility, more features and easier management and maintenance options.

Another tactic often used by open source vendors is to provide the software freely, but to withhold official support and other additional services from companies that haven't taken out a contract. Since business IT relies on minimising downtime as much as possible, strong support is essential which makes this tactic very effective.

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What is Open Source? - IT PRO