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What is FOSS?

· One min read
Michael Wood
Michael Wood
Author & thinker
Free and Open Source Software

It's a term for software that's free to use and has a source code that's available to the public.

How FOSS works​

  • Users can run the software for free and for any purpose
  • Users can access, modify, and redistribute the source code
  • Users don't need to pay the author a fee to use, modify, or redistribute the software

Benefits of FOSS​

  • FOSS promotes collaboration, sharing, and community engagement
  • FOSS allows users to customize software to their needs
  • FOSS can lead to a more transparent and community-driven development process

Examples of FOSS The Linux operating system, The Apache HTTP Server, and The Mozilla Firefox web browser.

FOSS and licensing​

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) defines free software, and the Open Source Initiative (OSI) determines whether a software license can be labeled as open-source.