linux…open source…what does it all mean?

6 Comments

1. Dracolytch says:

   10. November 2009 at 10:01

   Whew… a short question, with a LONG answer. I’ll try to keep this as short and sane as possible. We’re going to go back to the roots of programming to figure out what open souce is about…

   Computers take instructions in what’s known as "machine language". You can write a program in machine language, but it’s really, really, REALLY hard. So some smart computer geeks invented programming languages.

   A program written in a programming language gets translated into machine language… But it’s usually a 1-way trip: Translating machine language into something a human can read is a very long/hard/tedious process.

   This means that you can have a program, but are unable to see how that program was created. The instructions that programmers write to create a program is called "source code".

   So, when Microsoft releases their latest operating system, people have the final product, but don’t have the source code Microsoft used to create that product. The source code is closed to the public. That is "Closed source" software.

   However, there is a large number of people on the Internet that don’t care for that philosophy. These people want to be able to see how programs are written so that they can change/improve the software. There are many people who release their programs and provide everything you need to change the program… the source code is open to the public. That is "open source" software.

   There are ALL KINDS of programs that are open source. Just about anything you can buy, there’s a free/open alternative. This even goes for operating systems…

   Microsoft has Windows, which tons of machines run.
   Apple has MacOS, which is different than Windows, but is designed to do basically the same thing.
   Linux is another alternative to Windows or MacOS… It’s an operating system which allows you to manipulate files, folders and programs.

   The difference is, Linux is all open source… That is, you can dowload/modify/update/change your copy of Linux to do whatever you want. The tools to make the changes are all open/free too.

   Also, many times open source programs are free or inexpensive.

   So, Open Source Software is software that comes with the programming source code. Also, there’s a bigger philosophy behind it too: that how things are made should be more visible, so that people can review/edit/change how things work easily.

   Oh, and one neat thing with Linux, if you just want to try it, so you can see how it works, you can get a "live distribution" that you can run on your computer, without affecting Windows.

   How to download/use a live distribution is another question entirely.
2. culverhouserobert says:

   10. November 2009 at 10:01

   It means that it is open to the public to purchase…and it was made by charles Linux
3. sirmixafresh2 says:

   10. November 2009 at 10:01

   it means that the sorce code of the program is available for free to the public and you are aloud to change it as you please, distrubute it and even sell it check out linux.org
4. jok3r says:

   10. November 2009 at 10:01

   For example Microsoft Internet Explorer, it’s not an open source, because you cant see that source codes, i mean when writing one of computer program you need to write codes. This codes called source codes. By the way you cant reach most of programs source codes.

   Linux is open source, you can reach that codes and sources, you can improve programs with updating that codes.
5. watchmedie07 says:

   10. November 2009 at 10:01

   Linux is another operating system. Operating systems are like Windows XP or Windows 98. Most of the time it’s used in servers as that’s what has been accepted. There are people that do own Linux systems on their home computers but it’s a small community.

   Open Source means that the program and it’s files can be used any way that person desires. Say someone wants to create something out of one of their programs and change the source codes (codes that tell the program how to work) to fit into their program then it’s allowed. Mostly, when you buy it you get full rights to any source code and program file.

   As for games Linux doesn’t have a whole lot. Because it’s a small community many developers don’t usually make games for it. They have started quick ports from other platforms but nothing much yet.
6. RND.seed(int.dave[23]); says:

   10. November 2009 at 10:01

   There is a "philosophy" called open source. It states that programs should have no copyright and provide source code, so that the user can modify it to his or her needs. Then someone else will modify it to make that version better. Eventually, the program will be closer to "perfect" for more users than if only one corporation worked on it.

   This was the thought on all hardware and software from the 1950′s to the 1980′s, spawning many advances in systems design and technology.

   During the PC revolution of the 1980′s, copyright and royalties became common place within the software world donning the name "closed source." (closed source means that the code of the program is propriatary to the company that programmed it, and a trade secret)

   Enter the last GREAT hacker of the 20th century, Richard Stallman. Stallman is considered to be the last great hacker of the Open Source Movement. From his dorm at MIT, stallman rewrote houndreds of closed source programs, making them better, and reliesing them for free as open source. these programs were to combat the notoriously closed source programs of the UNIX mainframes, and were called the GNU Project.

   As Stallman worked on the GNU project, (Gnu Not Unix) he decided to build an open source operating system. The project had many ups and downs as several great programmers worked on the houndreds and thousands of program modules for the OS. Then Stallman met a man named Linus Travalds. Linus told stallman, in passing, that he had a kernal for an operating system that he wrote as a hobby. The kernal was the missing major piece of the OS that stallman needed.

   So, the GNU project is now called Linux, after Linus Travald’s Kernal.

   Its a great story! Check out the documentary "Revolution OS" for great sub stories and interviews with all the major players of the Open Source Movement!