FOSS - Free And Open Source Software
Open To All
FOSS - Free And Open Source Software
Open To All
What FOSS is?
Free and open-source software (FOSS) refers to a type of software that is freely available to the public and can be used, modified, and distributed without any restrictions imposed by the copyright holder. The source code of FOSS is open and accessible to anyone, allowing them to study, modify, and distribute the software. This approach is in stark contrast to proprietary software, where the source code is not available to the public and the software is controlled by a single entity.
Benefits of Free and Open-source Software
FLEXIBILITY AND AGILITY
IT leaders must fundamentally provide flexibility and agility for their enterprise. If you cant compete on agility, youre going to get left behind by the competition. Open source enables technology agility, typically offering multiple ways to solve problems. Open source helps keep your IT organization from getting blocked because a particular capability isnt available from a vendor. Instead of waiting for the vendor to deliver that capability, you can create it yourself. SPEED: Your enterprise will soon be competing on speed, if it isnt already. Open source enables speed. A great advantage of open source is the ability to take the community versions, get started, understand whether they can solve your business problem, and begin to deliver value right away. Once you make that determination, professional support and services are increasingly available for open source products, especially those supported by Red Hat. COST--EFFECTIVENESS: Open source is generally much more cost-effective than a proprietary solution. Not only are open source solutions typically much more inexpensive in an enterprise environment for equivalent or superior capability, but they also give enterprises the ability to start small and scale (more on that coming up). Given that enterprises are often budget challenged, it just makes financial sense to explore open source solutions. ABILITY TO START SMALL: With open source, you can start small and quickly with community versions, and then migrate to a commercially-supported solution as your business requirements drive you there. If the project doesnt require support, you can continue on the community version indefinitely. You have the option to try the various alternatives, pick the one that’s going to work, and then scale up with a commercial solution.
History of its Development
The history of Free and Open-source software (FOSS) dates back to the early days of computing, when software was often shared and developed collaboratively among researchers and hobbyists. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of software developers and computer scientists began to adopt a more collaborative approach to software development, sharing their code and working together to improve it.
One of the early milestones in the history of FOSS was the creation of the Unix operating system, which was developed at Bell Labs in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Unix was one of the first operating systems to be developed as a collaborative effort, with the source code being shared among researchers and academics.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Internet began to emerge as a powerful tool for communication and collaboration, and FOSS began to take on a more prominent role in the technology world. A number of FOSS projects were created during this time, including the GNU project, which aimed to create a complete operating system based on open-source software, and the Apache web server, which has become one of the most widely used web servers in the world.
The late 1990s saw the release of the Linux operating system, which has become one of the most widely used FOSS projects of all time. Linux has been adopted in a wide range of applications, from servers and supercomputers to mobile phones and other embedded devices.
In recent years, FOSS has continued to grow in popularity and importance, with many companies and organizations adopting it as a key part of their technology infrastructure. The use of FOSS has been driven by a number of factors, including its lower cost, greater customization and control, and more secure and transparent software development process.
Today, FOSS is a major force in the technology world, with a wide range of applications and a vibrant community of developers and users. Its ability to bring people together and promote collaboration and innovation has made it a driving force in the development of new technologies and applications.
FOSS Aternatives For Common Applications
Linux distro :
A better alternative for Microsoft Windows when it comes to privacy and security. Audacity : It is a free open-source digital audio editor and recording computer software application. Key features include recording audio from multiple sources, and post-processing of all types of audio, including podcasts by adding effects such as normalization, trimming, and fading in and out Gimp : Makes it easy to edit photos and other images—just like you would with Photoshop. Suitable for professionals, it includes features like layers, gradients, photo enhancement, color manipulation, digital retouching, and much more. Blender : 3D animation software can be prohibitively expensive for amateurs and home users, but Blender is completely free and has been used to create full-length animated films. It boasts photorealistic rendering, fast modelling, realistic materials, fast rigging, sculpting, an animation toolset, full compositor and more.
Ties with GNU/Linux
GNU is an operating system that is free software—that is, it respects users' freedom. The GNU operating system consists of GNU packages (programs specifically released by the GNU Project) as well as free software released by third parties. The development of GNU made it possible to use a computer without software that would trample your freedom.
FOSS allows for better collaboration among various parties and individuals with the goal of developing the most efficient software for its users or use-cases while proprietary software is typically meant to generate profits. Furthermore, in many cases more organizations and individuals contribute to such projects than to proprietary software. It has been shown that technical superiority is typically the primary reason why companies choose open source software.