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Open Source Software FAQ
Open Source Software
Your guide to understanding Open Source software.
What is Open Source Software?
Contrary to popular belief, and common misconceptions, free software (usually referred to as freeware) is not necessarily Open Source. So what exactly is Open Source? Open Source is the term used to describe software, of which the high-level code is supplied free of charge to whoever would like it, by definition, they are permitted to:
- Use the code for whatever they wish
- Edit and modify the code to suit their needs
- Redistribute the code to whoever they wish
- Improve the software, and redistribute it in its modified form
When all these conditions are met, software is considered truly Open Source.
High-Level and Low-Level Code
A big part of understanding what Open Source software is, is grasping the concept of high-level code, and how it can be modified.
There are essentially two levels of code in the computing world, aptly named low-level and high-level. The difference lies in how close the lines of code communicate directly to the CPU.
Low-level code is a lot harder for humans to interpret, and works closer to the CPU than high-level. An assembly language is an example of a low-level language, and resembles something like this:
jne do_something
High-level code however, is a lot easier for humans to interpret, and is written in plain English. Examples of high-level languages are:
- Java
- C++
- C#
- Cobalt
- Python
There are literally hundreds more, but these are some of the most popular. An example of Java, (one of the above-mentioned high-level languages) is:
{
wearShorts ();
}
It is also interesting to note that Microsoft Windows is writtien in C++, this should give you an idea of how powerful these languages can be when utilized properly.
Open Source Software Survival Guide
Vanilla is a firm supporter of Open Source Software, and therefore feels obliged to give our customers a dynamic list of essential software of highly recommended free and Open Source software utilities and applications.
You can find this list [here]
