| You're probably used to using ProprietarySoftware?. That means that most of the programs you download are owned by one particular person or company, and that they retain all rights to the program, and can tell you how or how not to use it. | ||||||||
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OpenSource software, on the other hand, allows you to get the SourceCode of the program, and customize it, give it to friends, or do pretty much anything else you want. | |||||||
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OpenSource software, on the other hand, allows you to get the SourceCode of the program, and customize it, give it to friends, or do pretty much anything else you want. | |||||||
| Most software written for MicrosoftWindows? is proprietary. If the company who wrote your program goes out of business or decides to quit working on it, then you're stuck. Most software written for RealOperatingSystems? is OpenSource. No matter what happens to the people who originally developed the software, you can still update it for your changing needs. | ||||||||
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OpenSource is not the same as PublicDomain?. PublicDomain? (or PD) software belongs to everyone and noone. That is, the authors have relinquished all CopyRights? to the programs. Most OpenSource SoftwareLicences? (such as the GPL? or BsdLicense?) retain the CopyRights?, yet still allow you full usage of the software, sometimes with some very minor (but important) restrictions. For example, the GPL? allows you to modify the program to your heart's content. However, if you give or sell your modified version to someone else, you have to give them the SourceCode for your changes, much as the original author gave you the SourceCode to work on in the first place. The BsdLicense? doesn't require you to give out the changed SourceCode, but it does require you to include a small acknowledgement in your programs. | |||||||
| > > |
OpenSource is not the same as PublicDomain?. PublicDomain? (or PD) software belongs to everyone and noone. That is, the authors have relinquished all CopyRights? to the programs. Most OpenSource SoftwareLicences? (such as the GPL? or BsdLicense?) retain the CopyRights?, yet still allow you full usage of the software, sometimes with some very minor (but important) restrictions. For example, the GPL? allows you to modify the program to your heart's content. However, if you give or sell your modified version to someone else, you have to give them the SourceCode for your changes, much as the original author gave you the SourceCode to work on in the first place. The BsdLicense? doesn't require you to give out the changed SourceCode, but it does require you to include a small acknowledgement in your programs. | |||||||
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-- KirkStrauser - 13 Nov 2001 | ||||||||
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You're probably used to using ProprietarySoftware?. That means that most of the programs you download are owned by one particular person or company, and that they retain all rights to the program, and can tell you how or how not to use it.
OpenSource software, on the other hand, allows you to get the SourceCode of the program, and customize it, give it to friends, or do pretty much anything else you want.
Most software written for MicrosoftWindows? is proprietary. If the company who wrote your program goes out of business or decides to quit working on it, then you're stuck.
Most software written for RealOperatingSystems? is OpenSource. No matter what happens to the people who originally developed the software, you can still update it for your changing needs.
OpenSource is not the same as PublicDomain?. PublicDomain? (or PD) software belongs to everyone and noone. That is, the authors have relinquished all CopyRights? to the programs. Most OpenSource SoftwareLicences? (such as the GPL? or BsdLicense?) retain the CopyRights?, yet still allow you full usage of the software, sometimes with some very minor (but important) restrictions. For example, the GPL? allows you to modify the program to your heart's content. However, if you give or sell your modified version to someone else, you have to give them the SourceCode for your changes, much as the original author gave you the SourceCode to work on in the first place. The BsdLicense? doesn't require you to give out the changed SourceCode, but it does require you to include a small acknowledgement in your programs.
-- KirkStrauser - 13 Nov 2001 | |||||||