Free and Open Source Software
In the beginning of computers, the computing businesses sold only the hardware. The software was an added feature that was provided for free. This strategy was to entice scholars and researchers into buying the hardware. As the popularity grew, the cost of developing software increased hence hardware and software were sold as separate bundles. It is important to note that this separation brought about the introduction of license agreements and software patents. The term 'Free' was redefined and copyright law introduced. Henceforth, 'Free' software was issued under General Public License (GPL) which excluded copyright laws. 1996 was the year the first patent was issued on a software product.
Some organizations still provide free software such as Linux, Mozilla, VLC Media Player, Python, Java and others under the Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) plan. However, just because they are Free, it's all in terms of cost. This is protected in the copyright law which ensures that a product cannot be modified or reverse-engineered without permission from the owners. However, note the difference between Free and Open Source. Google Chrome might provide the browser for Free, however, they do not give access to the 'engine' that runs it (programs and processes). On the same note, Google does not allow unauthorized users to access the source code used to develop the Chrome browser; hence, it is not open source.
Software such as the Linux OS lifts the copyright law and allows for modification of the OS's core components - known as Kernel. As a user, you can access the Linux kernel, modify it and redistribute your modified version as your own - even for commercial purposes. Such organizations open their source code allowing developers and other interested parties to scrutinize software and give feedback on bug-fixes as well as improvement on the product. In the world of software, this is what is termed as free and open source software.
Next time you want to install a software, ensure you read the information on the terms and conditions. Understand if the software is Free, Open Source, or Free and Open Source.
