Introduction to FOSS(Free and Open Source Software)

By: Altin Ukshini - altin.ukshini@gmail.com

Twitter: @AltinUkshiniFacebook: /altin.ukshini

Licensed under: CC-BY-SA

Objectives

• Understand a brief history of FOSS.• Explain what FOSS means.• Appreciate some of the benefits of FOSS.• Know FOSS equivalents to proprietary

softwares/applications

History

• Late 60's (IBM sold the hardware, not software) Software was still free.

• 70's - not free (Software licenses came up)• West coast – Unix development• East coast – Richard Stallman and the beginning

of FSF and GNU project.• Finland – Linus Torvalds > Linux (Kernel)

Free Software Movement

The free software movement was started by Richard Stallman

Founded the Free Software Foundation in 1985.

FOSS Defined

Free and Open Source Software

Software considered to be alternative to a proprietary one

For example: Mozilla Firefox as alternative to Internet Explorer; OpenOffice to Microsoft Office; GIMP to Photoshop.

“Proprietary” denotes a software user's lack of freedom to study, modify and redistribute the software

Free Software Open Source Software

What is meant by free?

• Free not as in free lunch (no cost)

• Free as in free speech (freedom)

What freedoms? - GNU Manifesto

• Freedom 0: (use)– The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.

• Freedom 1: (study)– The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to

your needs . (Access to the source code is a precondition for this.)

• Freedom 2: (copy and share)– The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your

neighbor.

• Freedom 3: (modify and distribute)– The freedom to improve the program, and release your

improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits. (Access to the source code is a precondition for this.)

Complete!

A program is free software if users have

all of these freedoms.

So, What is Open Source Software ?

The Free Software movement and the Open Source movement are like two political camps within the free software community.

• Bazaar philosophy(A market place which grows organically)

Sharing is caring!!!

Problem ?

How to solve it ?

Why so ?

...

Who develops FOSS ?

COMMUNITY!(All around the world)

“By the community, for the community/”

Examples of FOSS

• GNU/Linux Operating System

• Android• Mozilla (Firefox)• Libre/Open Office• VLC• GIMP, Blender• Apache• MySQL• PHP, phpMyadmin

• Wordpress, Drupal, Joomla

• Emacs• Eclipse• Firebug• 7-Zip

Why should you use FOSS ?

Better quality: Because the code can be revised by many different programmers

More security: having many developers look into the code as potential users is more likely to uncover possible security holes right away. It is more resistant to hangs and crashes It doesn’t get infected by viruses easily.

Price: In the Free Software world, users pay for services. 99% of free software has zero cost.

The biggest advantage free software has is that it doesn’t tie you down to anyone.