Difference between revisions of "Open source"

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There are normally some conditions about doing these things. These conditions are usually there to protect the developers against being sued for giving you their software, or to stop other people claiming they wrote the code.
 
There are normally some conditions about doing these things. These conditions are usually there to protect the developers against being sued for giving you their software, or to stop other people claiming they wrote the code.
  
{{VLC}} and other {{VideoLAN}} projects are licensed under the [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU General Public License (GPL)].
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{{VLC}} and other [[VideoLAN]] projects are licensed under the [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU General Public License (GPL)].
 
This is the most common open source license and is [http://opensource.org/docs/certification_mark.php certified] by the [http://opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative (OSI)].
 
This is the most common open source license and is [http://opensource.org/docs/certification_mark.php certified] by the [http://opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative (OSI)].
  
 
[[Category:Glossary]] [[Category:Philosophy]]
 
[[Category:Glossary]] [[Category:Philosophy]]

Revision as of 19:45, 9 February 2009

Open Source is a way to license software. This type of software allows you to:

  • Share the software with your friends for free
  • View and edit the source code
  • Use the software in your own open source projects
  • Modify the software in the way you like it
  • Usually, you can download the software from a website for free.

There are normally some conditions about doing these things. These conditions are usually there to protect the developers against being sued for giving you their software, or to stop other people claiming they wrote the code.

VLC media player and other VideoLAN projects are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). This is the most common open source license and is certified by the Open Source Initiative (OSI).