Open source software refers to software that is available in source code form and can be freely used, modified, and shared under an open source license. Some key characteristics of open source software include: 1) The source code is freely available. 2) Anyone can modify and distribute the source code or copies of the original software. 3) It does not discriminate against persons, groups, fields of endeavor, or types of software distributed along with it.

1. Open Source Software 1. Technology itself : software, hardware or serviceLinux penguin

2. What is open source software?Open Source Initiativehttp://www.opensource.org/docs/osd

3. Free Redistribution The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale.

4. Source Code The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well as compiled form. Where some form of a product is not distributed with source code, there must be a well-publicized means of obtaining the source code for no more than a reasonable reproduction cost preferably, downloading via the Internet without charge

5. Derived Works The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software.

6. Integrity of the Authors Source Code The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form only if the license allows the distribution of "patch files" with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original software.

7. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.

8. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research.

9. Distribution of License The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties.

10. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a particular software distribution. If the program is extracted from that distribution and used or distributed within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the original software distribution.

11. License Must Not Restrict Other Software The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs distributed on the same medium must be open-source software

12. License Must Be Technology-NeutralNo provision of the license may be predicated on any individual technology or style of interface.

13. What is out there now?Operating systems, content management systems, web browsers, Et cetera

14. Operating SystemsLinuxLinux is a free Unix type operating system originally created by LinusTorvalds with the assistance of developers around the world. Developed under the GNU General Public License , the source code for Linux is freely available to everyone.Open SolarisOpenSolaris an open source engineering project and a global community of developers and usersFree BSD FreeBSD is an advanced operating system for modern server, desktop, and embedded computer platforms. FreeBSD's code base has undergone over thirty years of continuous development, improvement, and optimization. It is developed and maintained by a large team of individuals.

15. Content Management Systems (CMS)WordpressWordPress was born out of a desire for an elegant, well-architectured personal publishing system built on PHP and MySQL and licensed under the GPL. It is the official successor of b2/cafelog. WordPress is fresh software, but its roots and development go back to 2001. It is a mature and stable product. DrupalDrupal is a free software package that allows an individual, a community of users, or an enterprise to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website. Hundreds of thousands of people and organizations are using Drupal to power an endless variety of web sites, includingJoomlaJoomla is a content management system, which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone.Typo3TYPO3 is a free Open Source content management system for enterprise purposes on the web and in intranets. It offers full flexibility and extendability while featuring an accomplished set of ready-made interfaces, functions and modules.

16. Web browsersAroraArora is a lightweight cross-platform web browser. It's free (as in free speech and free beer). Arora runs on Linux, embedded Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Windows, Haiku, and any other platforms supported by the Qt toolkit.FirefoxThe common thread that runs throughout Mozilla is our belief that, as the most significant social and technological development of our time, the Internet is a public resource that must remain open and accessible to all. With this in mind, our efforts are ultimately driven by our mission of encouraging choice, innovation and opportunity online.

17. And an interesting one for University of Canberra students…

18. Course Management SystemMoodleMoodle is an Open Source Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It has become very popular among educators around the world as a tool for creating online dynamic web sites for their students. To work, it needs to be installed on a web server somewhere, either on one of your own computers or one at a web hosting company.

19. Why use open source software?

20. It’s freely available, and can also cost nothing.Since open source software is open, all of the defects and security flaws are easily foundHave a chance to contribute to upcoming releases, to include functions and features you think the system should haveEncourages self-enhancing diversity, and thus creates a better product

21. What's the catch?

22. No customer support as such, and you may have to rely on forums and FAQ’s separate from the providerCan be damaging to the commercial software marketsystem testing and documentation may be ignored, due to lack of a development process

23. The future Open source was once thought to be unsuitable for any business application, but it has proved that it has real world potential and can compete with the commercial software developers effortlessly. This is only likely to continue well into the future of the digital age, as people look for alternatives to the commercial software market.