Open Source and Linux - An Overview



Open Source 

You may have already heard the term open source in relation to technology - but what does it mean?

Everyone has heard of software such as Microsoft Office. To obtain and use such a program, users must pay a fee, and the program coding is not something that anyone other than those who developed Microsoft Office is privy to. The act of copying the program without the licence key and distribution it could result in legal trouble. Conversely, open source software is the opposite: the source code is available to anyone to use, modify or distribute it at no cost.

We can trace open source software back to the early 1980s, when computer scientist Richard M. Stallman launched a project called GNU. At the time, the goal was to provide a replacement for the UNIX operating system, a system that was developed in the late 1960s. Furthering his cause of allowing computer users technological freedom, Stallman then went on to start the Free Software Foundation in 1985.

Stallman’s mission was simple: to promote software freedom so that users have control over the technology that they use. A non-profit foundation, the Free Software Foundation aims to educate and advocate for the use of freely available software that the user has control over, rather than a corporation. The Foundation’s initial focus was Stallman’s GNU project, but by the early 1990s, the Foundation supported the development of a legal licensing contract, known as the GNU GPL, or GNU General Public Licence. Items under the GNU GPL are, keeping in line with Stallman’s vision, allows for users to modify and distribute the code as they so see fit.

The code in such programs is available to be accessed and modified, allowing users to collaborate on projects. Users from all around the world can open the corresponding code to different programs and make changes, fix bugs, and make improvements. The source code for programs and systems being freely available is the biggest difference between open source and propitiatory pieces of software, as is the transparency about the code itself to foster trust in the collaborative environment.

Where Does Linux Come Into It?

In 1991, a computer science student named Linus Torvalds started an open-source project of his own. His project focused on the development of a UNIX-like kernel, something that he was able to do with the available source code from items under the GNU project. The development brought about Linux 1.0, which was released in 1994.

Linux is an open source operating system, one just as robust and feature-packed as Windows or MacOS. Unlike Windows or MacOS, however, there are a multitude of different distributions, or distros of Linux, each one developed and built upon by ordinary users and computer technicians alike. There are hundreds of different distros available, each one freely available to use and modify. Each distro is unique, with something new to give to the user. The only question is: which one is right for you?

With the amount out there to choose from, the (computer) world is your oyster!

Please note: this page first appeared on Ouvert d'Esprit, my previous website hosted on Wordpress.com. This content was copied from the site when it was disabled late 2025.


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