This document provides an introduction to open source software, detailing what source code is and how it is developed collaboratively by communities online. It highlights the distinction between free and open source software, the history of open source, and notable examples such as Linux and MySQL. Additionally, it discusses the motivations behind contributors' engagement in open source projects and the significance of software like Android and Apache in the tech landscape.

1. An Introduction to Open
Source software
By :- sahil jindal(13mcmc05)
University Of Hyderabad

2. What is Source?
• Source code is the version of software as it is originally written by a
human in plain text.
• The term software refers to all operating systems, application and
utility programs.
• Source code can be written in any of the programming languages
(C, C++, Cobol, Fortran, Java, Perl, PHP, Python and..)
• To be usable by a computer source code must be compiled.
compile

3. What is Open Source Software?
promotes free redistribution and access
to a products design or ideas and
implementation details.

4. Open -> Collaboration is Open
Source -> Source is freely available
Share
Adapt
Modify
Collaborate!

5. Is it Free? No!
• Free here is freedom not free in terms of price.
• Every free software is not Open Source.
• Every Open Source software is not free.
• Some software are Open Source as well as free.

6. Creation of Open Source Software
• Created by large
community of people
who collaborate via
the internet.
• These people are
programmers or
designers or testers
who have common
interest in particular
type of software.
www.Sourceforge.net

7. Creation continued..
• Initiation-Person who usually started the project usually
decides the language and platform on which the code will be
created and manner in which it will be distributed and what
licence policy they will follow and also specifications of
project.
• This allows those who join later to participate in the project
whose ultimate goals are specified in advance.
• The design is setteled by exchanging email and messages and
by jointly working on specifications.
• Participants submit their codes to review and test.
• Otheres may join the project to privide assistance with testing
, documentation ,revisions and extentions.

8. Who creates open source software
and why?
• Some programmers and devlopers work on open source to
satisfy a personal itch.
• May work on open source software to create an alternative to
proprietary software.
• For many young developers ,students and starting
professionals , participating in open source projects in a way
of showing off their skills.
• Many professionals work on open source projects as their
companies have an interest in those particular projects.

9. Open Source Software History
• In the 1950s and 1960s,
– software and compilers were delivered as a part of hardware
purchases without separate fees
– At this time, source code, the human-readable form of software, was
generally distributed with the software providing the ability to fix bugs
or add new functionality
– Many of the modifications developed by universities were openly
shared in keeping with the academic principles of sharing knowledge
• In the 1970s
– “unbundling” of software from hardware [IBM]
• In the 1980s
– Richard Stallman, formerly a programmer at the MITAI Lab launched
the GNU Project
– Computer Science Research Group (CSRG) of the University of
California at Berkeley working on BSD UNIX system

10. Open Source Software History Cont’d
• In the 1990s
– In Finland, LinusTorvalds, a student of computer science was
implementing the first versions of the Linux kernel.
– GNU/Linux
– 386BSD
– GNU/Linux and 386BSD were reasonably stable platforms.
– BSD based operating systems (NetBSD, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD)
– GNU/Linux distributions (Slackware, Debian, Red Hat, Suse,
Mandrake,..)
– Apache (web server)
– Perl
– GNOME and KDE (Desktop environment)
– Mozilla (funded by Netscape to build a web browser)
– Open Source Initiative (OSI)

11. Linux
• A Linux distribution has thousands of
software Free!
• Linux is a complete, stable and reliable
operating system
• Linux is powerful
• Linux has a complete development
environment
• Linux is an ideal environment for servers
• It is easily upgradable
• It has lots of documentation
• More than 90% of current Linux source
code is written by other developers
• Even Microsoft Contributes to Linux
Kernel Development

12. Linux
Runs on Linux-based Server
Runs on Linux-based Server
Runs on Linux-based Server
Runs on Linux-based Server
Runs on Linux-based Server
Runs on Linux-based Server

13. but why?
• Stability
• Security
• Cost
• Freedom
• Apache, Linux’s leading Web server application
• MySQL, the most prominent database
application
• PHP, the most popular scripting language

14. Apache
• Developed and maintained by an open community of developers
under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation
• The most popular web server on the internet since 1996
• 54.2% of all active websites (June 2013)
• is a collaborative software development
• Apache can run on almost any OS
• Simple and powerful
• It is free
• It is Open Source

15. MySQL
• 1994 – Development starts on MySQL
• MySQL is the world's most popular open source database
• Relational database management system (RDBMS);
• Facebook and Wikipedia use MySQL
• It is Open Source
• It is Free

16. Android
• Android is a mobile operating system (OS) based on the Linux kernel and
currently developed by Google.
• Android is designed primarily for touchscreen
• Source code is released by Google under open source licenses
• Initially developed by Android, Inc., which Google bought in 2005 ($50
million)
• was developed as a platform for digital cameras but the makers later
changed their focus to smart phones
• Free!

17. Other popular softwares

18. References
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-
source_software
• http://sourceforge.net
• Managing information systems in
Business,government and society- Rahul De

19. Thankyou