Free Software / Open Source Software

1 History of Open Source Software
Initially Pls IBM sold the first large scale commercial computer in 1960, IBM Some Came up with free software, that is freely (freely) Were Distributed Among users, ranging from source code, and later improvisation and modification. In the late 1960s, the situation began to change after collecting software IBM Software started And The mid-1970s, the software is getting Used to the non-free software Which Causes the user is not Permitted to distribute software, source code provided Is not That so the User Can not Modify the program (software).
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, two Different groups began to form based on Open Source Software are:
a. U.S. eastern seaboard, Richard Stallman, a programmer formally MIT AI Lab, and Resigned launched the GNU Project and Free Software Foundation. The basic aim of the GNU Project is to build a Free Operating System (free) and Richard started with the coding of Standard Chartered Bank of programming tools (compilers, editors, etc.). As a legal tool, the GNU General Public License (GPL) was Designed not only to Ensure That Remains the resulting GNU software is free, but Also to develop the production of free software. In terms of philosophy, Richard Stallman wrote the GNU manifesto Also, the availability of ranging from-source code and the freedom to distribute and Modify the software is a fundamental principle is.
b. U.S. west coast, Computer Science Research Group (CSRG) from the University of California at Berkeley are developing a Unix system and build a number of applications Which Became Known as "BSD Unix". This business is fully funded by DARPA (the contract) and a UNIX hacker networks around the world community to help in debugging, maintaining and improvisation system. For Some time, the software is not distributed outside the community of license holders from AT & T Unix. But late in the 1980s, software distributed under the BSD license Finally, one of the first open source licenses. Unfortunately, Every time the user requires a license from AT & T UNIX BSD Unix, since Some Parts of the kernel and a number of Important utilities, is required for Usable Which systems remain a non-free software (secret).

Throughout the 1980s Until the early 1990's, open source software continued its development, starting from A Few isolated groups. USENET and the Internet to help in coordinating efforts Between the States and build a strong user community. Studio albums Slowly in studio albums, much the software has been developed starting to integrate. The result of this integration, the complete environment Can be built on UNIX as the use of open source software. In many cases, systems administrators began to replace the standard tools with a GNU program. At That Time, many applications start to be the best (UNIX utilities, compilers, etc.).
During the year 1991-1992, the overall scope and development of open source software in general, has Begun to change. Two interesting events Happened That even though Different Communities:
1. In California, Bill Jolitz That fail to implement the distribution of Net / 2, Until the ready to run on i386 machines. Net / 2 are the result of efforts to obstruct CSRG "BSD Unix" (copyright free code from AT & T). Bill Called his work with the results and rapidly 386BSD preferred over BSD and UNIX communities. 386BSD not only consists of the kernel, but other utilities Also, Which make a complete operating systems. This work comes with the BSD License Which makes it come to a flat form for free software. Also 386BSD consists of other free software licenses (for instance the GNU compiler).
2. In Finland, Linus Torvalds, a student of computer science, was not happy with Tanenbaum's Minix, implementing the first version of the Linux kernel. Then, many people begin to collaborate to make this kernel Becomes more useful and added a lot of utility to furnish the GNU / Linux, the operating system real. Used Linux kernel and applications are protected by the GNU GPL.

Year 1993, GNU / Linux and 386BSDmenjadi flat stable form. Since then, to develop into 386BSD began a family of operating systems based on BSD (NetBSD, FreeBSD, OpenBSB), the kernel is developed and brought into use Nowhere on the distribution of GNU / Linux (Slack ware, Debian, Red Hat, Suse , Mandrake and others). Also this year the Emergence of GNOME and KDE, Which Is Used as a Project That Is Used for high quality.
The late 1980s, was an exciting year Which started to respect the open source software. System based on open source GNU / Linux or BSD began public acclaim and Became a real alternative for owners of the system, Competing head-on with the market leader at That Time (Standard and Poor 'Windows NT Server).

2.2 Definition of Open Source
Not easy to define the word Open Source Software in just A Few words, this is Because many categories and variants That are still there. But this is not too complicated Because the basic idea is simple.
2.2.1 General Idea of Open Source Software
in Home, has an ambiguous meaning free software, of words That Can Free Itself means freedom or free. Therefore, We Will use the concept of Open Source based on the user's freedom in using, distributing, and Others as well as software for free (no charge).
The main feature of the Characteristics of free (open source) is the freedom of the user to:
- Use the software as he wishes, for whatever they want want, on multiple computers in a Technically appropriate situation.
- That Is Having the software available as needed. Course includes improvisation, fixes bugs, zoom function and operation documentation.
- Distribute software to other users, to Be Used on on their needs based on. Distribution Could be free, OR for a fee.

2.3 Advantages and disadvantages of Open Source Software
Motivation of the use and development of a wide range of open source software, from philosophy and reason to the problem of practical ethics. Usually, the first perceived benefits of open source model is the fact That the availability of open source was created for free or at low costs.
2.3.1 Open Source Software Benefits
Some of the Characteristics That LED to the Open Source model to benefit:
a. Availability of source code and rights to Modify
This Is Important. This caused a change and improvisation in software products. In Addition, it brought the possibility to put the code on new hardware, so That Can be adapted to the changing situation, and reaches an understanding how the system works in detail.
b. The right to distribute the Standard and Poor modifications and Improvements to the code
This is a point of difference in Open Source Software with Free Software. In fact, the distribution rights are recognized and are commonplace, this is a collections of Things That affect developers (developers) to Work together in the Open Source Software projects.
c. The right to use the software
It is a combination of distribution rights, guarantee (if the software is quite useful), Some users Which helps in creating a market for software support and subscription. Also this helps in improvisation and improvisational quality of the product by function. Besides it will from from Cause Some users to try the product and use it regler May.

2.3.1 Losses on Open Source Software
Some of the Characteristics That LED to the Open Source model to benefit:
a. There is' No guarantees of development
Pls starts usually occurs a project without strong support from one or Trust companies, allowing a gap Pls beginning source code is still crude and basic development is still in development.
b. Issues relating to intellectual property
At present, Some countries receive the software and algorithms That patented acres. It is very Difficult to know if Some of the main ways to solve software problems on the patented so Some Communities That May be Considered guilty of the violation of intellectual property.
c. Difficulty in knowing the status of project
Not many ads for open source software, usually indirectly projects handled by A Few Companies That Are Able to invest and do marketing.

2.4 Licenses of Open Source Software
Some General license on-the-open-source software, namely:
a. BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution)
In summary, the distribution along Can be done with the associated software, including the use of the product properties. Creator just want on on their work recognized and without requiring a fee. This Is Important Because this license does not involve Some restrictions to Ensure and oriented in the beginning of the open source derivatives.
b. GPL (GNU General Public License)
This Is a license for the Software That take shelter In the distribution of the GNU Project. Today We Can still find / found a lot of software not related to the GNU Project. GPL is carefully Designed to promotes the products of free software and it explicitly prohibits Because Some actions That Can damage the integration of GPL software on proprietary software programs (ownership). GPL, based on International Law That ensures on on their implementation. The main Characteristics of the GPL Covers distribution, but only if the souce code is available and Also secured; and allow distribution of source; modification without restrictions and allows complete integration with other software.
c. MPL (Mozilla Public License)
This is a license made by Netscape in distributing the code from the Mozilla, the new version of navigator network. Many respects similar to the GPL but is more oriented to enterprise-level companies.
d. Many of the other: Qt (by Troll-Tech), the X Consortium. Etc.


2.5 Intellectual Property of Open Source Software
Generally in the case of information technology, issues related to intellectual property rights (intellectual property) is Important for the Open Source software. Of the four That Mechanisms of international law provides protection, only three (copyright, patents and trademarks) That Can be Used for open-source software. Fourthly, with a secret (trade secret), is a mechanism, That is not quite sufficient for Open Source Software, Because it contains obscurity for open source software or contain restrictions on the modification or the distribution of derivative reselling and projects.
2.5.1 Open Source and Copyright Law
Copyright changed from a common method of protection for software products. Indeed, the Open Source licenses Can be applied, Because they want want use it, in one or Trust forms of copyright law. The basis of this usage is simple: copyright law, by default, does not allow the distribution (and use it for free) from the Software Itself.
The only way the distribution That Can be done is to grant special permission in the license. And in the license That Could force distributors to meet certain conditions. Way of how this open source licenses work. They use this mechanism to be conducted under certain conditions, based on its creator (like the BSD), with liability in the distribution of Some derivatives of the Same as the original project license (Standard and Poor 'the GPL).
Most, open source licenses are Designed based on the laws of the United States. Recently, Some research has been done Regarding its application in China Trust countries. This Issue Is Important for the progress of the Open Source, Because many of the Open Source model depends, in many comparisons, as well as the validity of Open Source licenses.
Also the 'there is an interesting issue in relation to copyright in a specific interface, Which Affects the operation of open-source programs with ownership issues. In Some cases, Trust Companies have been forced to Provide for the entry of the access of information for programs running That acre or the operating system, by allowing developers to extend and integrate software components or systems within on on their programs. This information is usually protected and are sold at developers registered Were WHO, Maintained control of the WHO and Nowhere will from from the information leak out.

2.5.2 Open Source and Software Patents
Software Patents, usually occurs Pls help the software inherit the low-algorithm, can be Easily found by many developers, this presents a serious threat to individual open source developers and small companies Themselves, Which are not capable of working in the trial costs in his establishing software. Ironically, this situation more complicated for Becomes Open Source Software as compared to ownership of the software black box, Because the code Itself Can be accessed by the patent holder Itself.
In most cases, companies and individuals trying to obtain exclusive rights based on patents via a particular technology, and recently, more and more patents on the basic algorithms and procedures have been inherited, primarily in the United States. We believe That this is a dangerous practice, not just for Open Source software in general, but Also for the software industry and software practitioners in general.
Open Source Software Will usually from Easily changed from an attack in terms of a patent, Because only A Few That source-based companies have the financial Ability to protect against attacks Themselves In The patent lawsuit. Also, if the patents is raised on the technology or technique That is very broad, it is possible to outsmart the patents and created a free alternative to patents.