Open source software is software that is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. It is typically developed by a community of volunteers, who work together to improve the software and share their modifications with others.
Some of the most important people who have worked on open software include Richard Stallman, who founded the GNU Project in 1984 and is still the lead developer; Linus Torvalds, who created the Linux kernel in 1991 and is the lead maintainer of the kernel; and Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web in 1989 and is the director of the World Wide Web Consortium. Other important figures in the open source movement include Mark Shuttleworth, who founded the Ubuntu Linux operating system in 2004; and Eric S. Raymond, who authored “The Cathedral and the Bazaar” in 1997 and is a major advocate for open source software.
One of the key principles of open source software is that the source code is open and available for anyone to view and modify. This allows users to understand how the software works, fix bugs, and add new features. It also enables users to customize the software to meet their specific needs.
Open source software is often developed using a collaborative, transparent process, with contributions from a wide range of individuals and organizations. This can lead to a diverse and robust software ecosystem, with many different options and solutions for a variety of needs.
For my last lecture check out “Use of Open Source in critical business applications”.