FOSS
is a type of software as well as a methodology, a philosophy and a
movement.
The defining institutions are the Free Software Foundation (FSF)
and the Open Source Initiative (OSI). The FSF uses the term "free
software", while the OSI coined the term "open source
software". They approach FOSS issues differently and plentiful
information and exact definitions can be found on their websites:
| According to the
FSF, FOSS must give its users four basic
freedoms:
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Freedom 0:
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The freedom to run a program, for any purpose;
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Freedom 1:
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The freedom to study how a program works, and to adapt it to
one’s own needs; |
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Freedom 2:
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The freedom to redistribute copies of a program to help other users;
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Freedom 3:
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The freedom to improve the program, and release those improvements
to the public, so that the whole community benefits. |
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| The OSI provides a three-point criterion
called the Open Source Definition:
|
| (1) |
Source code must be distributed with the software or otherwise made
available for no more than the cost of distribution; |
| (2) |
Anyone may redistribute the software for free, without owing royalties
or licensing fees to the author; |
| (3) |
Anyone may modify the software or derive other software from it and
then distribute the modified software under the same terms. |
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The common elements are that they define FOSS as the practice of doing two things:
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