Free = open source?

Categorized under Software

Some think and often use these two terms - Free Software (FS) and Open Source Software (OSS) - interchangeably. That’s not completely right. Moreover, some relate both these terms with softwares available for free of any charge. And that’s completely wrong.

Both, OSS and FS, offer free softwares but the word “free” here refers to freedom as in “free speech” and not as in “free bear”. This freedom allows users to use, study, modify and redistribute the software.

Now both - OSS and FS - ask developers of software programs to share source code with users. In fact, this sharing of source code is a prerequisite of the freedom offered - specifically freedom to study and modify the program. This requirement of - sharing source code - is also the root cause of this very confusion — the confusion that makes both, OSS and FS, look the same. In reality, guiding principals behind the two are drastically different.

Motivation behind FS is more philosophical in nature. It stresses upon the freedom of users. While OSS is driven with more practical reasons. It emphasizes on a specific software development methodology — where everyone can contribute to development of a software. The intentions behind sharing of source code are different. FS provides source code because it believes that user of that software has the freedom to study, run, modify and redistribute it. Whereas, OSS provides source code because it believes software development done in a collaborative fashion gives better products.

This subtle difference will be clearer with the following example. Digital Restriction Management (DRM) softwares are basically designed to restrict access to certain media. These media are usually copyrighted documents or audio-video content. DRM softwares sit between a user and the media. As user can access the media only through these DRM softwares, they can allow/disallow access depending on certain parameters and privileges e.g. a user buys access to video content for few hours etc. Now some OSS supporters are proposing development of such DRM softwares using OSS methodology — which would mean developing better softwares together those are designed to restrict our access to certain information. Now it is not against OSS philosophy because OSS emphasizes on building better softwares in collaboration (and in this case the software is a DRM software). On the other hand, developers driven by FS philosophy would not support development of such softwares because the end purpose of such softwares is to take away certain freedom from its users.

In short, OSS philosophy is about collaborative spirit. While FS asks to recognize and value the freedom to information.

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