Free and open-source software
Free and open-source operating systems such as Linux distributions and descendants of BSD are widely used, powering millions of servers, desktops, smartphones, and other devices.
Reasons for using FOSS include decreased software costs, increased security against malware, stability, privacy, opportunities for educational usage, and giving users more control over their own hardware.
FOSS is supported by a loosely associated movement of multiple organizations, foundations, communities and individuals who share basic philosophical perspectives and collaborate practically, but may diverge in detail questions.
The terminology of FOSS was created to be a neutral on these philosophical disagreements between the Free Software Foundation (FSF) and Open Source Initiative (OSI) and have a single unified term that could refer to both concepts, although Richard Stallman argues that it fails to be neutral unlike the similar term; "Free/Libre and Open Source Software" (FLOSS).
The definition was based on the Debian Free Software Guidelines, written and adapted primarily by Bruce Perens.
[31][32][33] In 1983, Richard Stallman, longtime member of the hacker community at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, announced the GNU project, saying that he had become frustrated with the effects of the change in culture of the computer industry and its users.
The manifesto included significant explanation of the GNU philosophy, The Free Software Definition and "copyleft" ideas.
[35] FreeBSD and NetBSD (both derived from 386BSD) were released as Free software when the USL v. BSDi lawsuit was settled out of court in 1993.
In 1997, Eric Raymond published The Cathedral and the Bazaar, a reflective analysis of the hacker community and Free software principles.
The new name they chose was "Open-source", and quickly Bruce Perens, publisher Tim O'Reilly, Linus Torvalds, and others signed on to the rebranding.
[39] Users of FOSS benefit from the Four Essential Freedoms to make unrestricted use of, and to study, copy, modify, and redistribute such software with or without modification.
[44] As proprietary code is typically hidden from public view, only the vendors themselves and hackers may be aware of any vulnerabilities in them[44] while FOSS involves as many people as possible for exposing bugs quickly.
[44] It has been shown that technical superiority is typically the primary reason why companies choose open source software.
[60] There is often less certainty of FOSS projects gaining the required resources and participation for continued development than commercial software backed by companies.
As the FOSS operating system distributions of Linux has a lower market share of end users there are also fewer applications available.
[62][63] "We migrated key functions from Windows to Linux because we needed an operating system that was stable and reliable -- one that would give us in-house control.
Among concrete actions there is also to set up an Open Source Programme Office in 2020[97] and in 2022 it launched its own FOSS repository https://code.europa.eu/.
In response to legal issues with patents and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the Free Software Foundation released version 3 of its GNU General Public License (GNU GPLv3) in 2007 that explicitly addressed the DMCA and patent rights.
On the other hand, the adoption of the new GPL version was heavily discussed in the FOSS ecosystem,[101] several projects decided against upgrading to GPLv3.
For instance the Linux kernel,[102][103] the BusyBox[104][105] project, AdvFS,[106] Blender,[107] and the VLC media player decided against adopting the GPLv3.
[111] Leemhuis criticizes the prioritization of skilled developers who − instead of fixing issues in already popular open-source applications and desktop environments − create new, mostly redundant software to gain fame and fortune.
[114] Partly in response to uncertainty about the future of MySQL, the FOSS community forked the project into new database systems outside of Oracle's control.
[118] By defying ownership regulations in the construction and use of information—a key area of contemporary growth—the Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) movement counters neoliberalism and privatization in general.
[120] According to Yochai Benkler, Jack N. and Lillian R. Berkman Professor for Entrepreneurial Legal Studies at Harvard Law School, free software is the most visible part of a new economy of commons-based peer production of information, knowledge, and culture.
