Open Source Movement

WHAT IS OSS?

OSS literally means software whose source is open.Stretching this definition,to be termed OSS,the software should also not restrict the user from freely using it,modifying it and distributing it.The most significant differences between OSS and Proprietary Software(PS) are immediately apparent.PS is usually distributes as a binary without source code.So it is almost impossible to dissect the program to learn about its structure and logic,and make corrections or modifications if necessary. PSS is normally sold with a lot of condition that restrict the usage and distribution of the program.

WHAT OSS ISN'T?

There is a general opinion that all OSS is also free of cost.That isn't the case. Proponents of OSS do not restrict the sale of OSS. People are free too package and sell OSS at a price they consider fit. But given in the fact that the OSS is freely available to the next person as well. It is easy to conclude that it would not be possible for an arbitrarily high price to sustain. If the price is too high, other vendor will enter the market and sell the same product cheaper.Thus market forces will ensure that only afar price is charged.

A LOOK AT THE BOTH TYPES OF SOFTWARE

1.Longevity
OSS,since it allows modification by all,can survive in its current form for long time.User need not worry about the lack of vendor support or feel compelled to upgrade. PS is supported and maintained only by the vendor,so the life of a software is linked to that to od iits vendor.Commercial organizations, while choosing a PS cannot consider the performance of the program in isolation:they also have to consider the financial foundations and long-term business visibility of the vendor. A user would be left n the lurch d the vendor were to close down in the near future.

2.Quality
Peer review,an excellent mechanism for identifying and resolving shortcomings in a product can be implemented in OSS since anyone can see code the greater the number of people scrutinizing the code,the greater the chances of bugs being discovered.In contrast,PS code is usually offered for review only to selected group, so peer review is not as rigorous.The resulting code, therefore is not as bug free as OSS.

3.Portability
while the pc is the dominant computing platform,other computing devices are becoming popular.It is easy for an OSS to be ported to other platforms, since contributors with the relevant expertise can Maker necessary modifications.A PS vendor's expertise is limited to the platform it is currently serving; porting to other platforms would be influenced by many factors such as profitability.


THE FORCES BEHIND THE OPEN SOURCE MOVEMENT

Three entities are central to this movement; Richard Stallman,Linus Torvalds, and the Open Source Initiative.Richard Stallman is the original ideologue of the movement who started off to create an entire free OS-GNU. He also founded the free Software Fundation. Linus Torvald is the programmer who created the kernel- a central part of an operating system - that completed Stallman 's GNUu. And the Open Source Initiative, Formed by Eric Raymond and Bruce Perens after having disagreed with Stallman 's Strict Interpretation of free softwares it responsible for having taken the movement to the masses, albiet by diluting the original ideology.