Open Source Licenses | Open Source Licenses |
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Using open source software does not mean that the software is not covered by a legal license. Open source is a very broad term. It is defined by a number of legal licenses, which dictate the privileges and restrictions which a licensor must follow. One of the most popular open source licenses is the GNU Public License (GPL) released by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). The Linux kernel, for example, is crucial open source software covered under this license. As the open source philosophy evolved over time, a wide variety of open source licenses, catering to a licensor’s different needs, emerged. For example, separate open source licenses were developed for non-programming content, such as articles, pictures, audio and video. Who determines whether or not a license adheres to open source standards? A non-profit corporation, the Open Source Initiative (OSI) http://www.opensource.org/ was established for this purpose. This organization is dedicated to managing and promoting the Open Source Definition for the good of the community, specifically through the OSI Certified Open Source Software certification mark and program. For more about open source licenses, please visit http://www.opensource.org/licenses/index.php |