What does FOSS in It’s FOSS mean? What is FOSS?
I have been asked this question numerous time in the past. It was about time that I explained what is FOSS in Linux and the software world.
The distinction is important because FOSS is a generic world and it could mean different depending on the context. Here, I am discussing the FOSS principle in software.
What is FOSS?
FOSS means Free and Open Source Software. It doesn’t mean software is free of cost. It means that source code of the software is open for all and anyone is free to use, study and modify the code. This principle allows other people to contribute to the development and improvement of a software like a community.
The origin of FOSS
In the 60s and 70s, computers were hardware focused and the hardware were expensive. They were mainly used by academics in universities or researchers in labs. The limited amount of software used to come for free or with their source code and the users were allowed to modify the source code to suit their need.
In the late 70s and early 80s, the manufacturer’s stopped distributing source code in an attempt to not let their software run on their competitor’s computers.
This restrictive licensing led to the inconvenience and dislike of peoplewho were used to and fond of modifying software. In the mid 80s, Richard Stallman started the Free Software Movement.
Stallman specified four essential fundamental freedom for a software to be Free and Open Source Software.
I am rephrasing them for easier understanding:
- Any user should be able to run the software for any purpose.
- User should be free to see the source code of the software and if need be, user should be allowed to modify the code as well.
- User should be free to distribute the copies of the software to others.
- If a user modified the code, she/he should be free to distribute the modified code to others. The modified code must have the source code open.
If interested, I would advise reading this article on the history of FOSS.
Free in Free and Open Source Software DOES NOT mean free of cost
As you may have noticed, the ‘free’ in Free and Open Source Software doesn’t mean it is free of cost. It means freedom to run, modify and distribute the software.
People often wrongly think that FOSS or Open Source software cannot have a price tag. This is not correct.
Most Free and Open Source Software are available free of cost because of a number of reasons:
- The source code is already available to public so some developers see no point in putting a price tag on the downloads.
- Some projects are contributed by a number of volunteers for free. So, the main developer(s) find it unethical to charge for something that has been contributed freely by so many people.
- Some projects are supported and/or developed by bigger corporate or non-profit organizations who employ developers to work on their open source projects.
- Some developers create open source projects as hobby or out of their passion for contributing to the world with their code. Things like number of downloads, contributions and words of appreciations matter more than money for them.
To avoid the emphasis on ‘free’ some people use the term FLOSS. FLOSS stands for Free and Libre Open Source Software. The world libre (meaning freedom) is different than gartuit/gratis (free of cost).
Free as in free speech, not free as in free beer.
How do FOSS projects make money?
It is a myth that open source projects don’t make money. Red Hat was the first open source company to reach the billion dollars mark. IBM bought Red Hat for $34 billion. There are many such examples.
Many open source projects, specially the ones in the enterprise sectors, offer support and enterprise oriented features for a fee. This is main business model for Red Hat, SUSE Linux and more such projects.
Some open source projects like Discourse, WordPress offer hosted instance of their software for a premium fee.
Many open source projects, specially the desktop applications, rely on donations. VLC, GIMP, Inkscape and other such open source software fell in this category. There are ways to fund open-source programs but usually, you’ll find donation links on project websites.
Making money with open source software may be difficult but it is not entirely impossible.
But I am not a programmer. Why should I care if a software is open source or not?
This is a valid question. You are not a software developer, just a regular computer user. Even if the source code of the software is available, you won’t understand how the program works.
That’s fine. You won’t understand it but someone with the necessary skill sets will and that’s what matter.
Think of this way. Perhaps you won’t understand a complicated legal document. But if you have the freedom to look at the document and keep a copy of it, you can consult someone who can check the document for legal pitfalls.
In other words, open source software has transparency.
What is the difference between FOSS and Open Source?
You’ll often come across terms FOSS and open source. They are often used interchangeably.
Are they the same thing? It is difficult to answer in yes and no.
You see, the term ‘free’ in FOSS is confusing for many as people incorrectly assume that it as free of cost. Enterprise executives, higher ups and decision makers tend to focus on ‘free’ in Free and Open Source. Since they are business people focused on making money for their company, the term ‘free’ works as deterrence in adopting the FOSS principles.
This is why a new organization named Open Source Initiative was created in the mid 90s. They removed the ‘Free’ from Free and Open Source Software and created their own definition of open source. and their own set of licenses.
The term ‘open source’ got quite popular specially in the software industry. The executives are more comfortable with Open Source. The adoption of open source grew rapidly and I believe removal of ‘free’ term did play a role here.
Got questions?
This As I explained in the article what is Linux Distribution, the FOSS/open source concept played a big role in the development and popularity of Linux.
I tried to explain the concept of FOSS and open source in simpler terms in this jargon buster article. I have tried to avoid going too much in detail or technical accuracies.
I do hope you have a better understanding of this topic now. If you have got questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment and continue the discussion there.
I would like to ask a question, but not sure if this is the correct place to ask… But here it goes …I am not computer techy, but I am wanting to change from my iPad Pro to something safer. my understanding is the (Pine64)Pinetab or Pinebook… but if these are not available, my understanding is a Chrome something …. but Ive looked and there are several brands of chromebooks …I am wanting a tablet with keyboard or with keyboard accessory, something I can use as needed to keep track of our monthly expenses, etc… I’m trying to get away from Apple. Hoping someone can give me some advice for something safe, not fancy, just simple. Hoping to install LibreOffice instead of Microsoft, and also not sure about Windows … dont want that either … I apologize for not wording this in a techy way.
Ubuntu laptop maybe your safest bet (since it can have all kind of open source softwares like Libre Office and others, while still having option to roll back to windows).
I don’t know about apple eco system since I haven’t used them. Hope it’s almost like windows and my reply answeres your questions.
Thank you! Much appreciate 😊
Very interesting articles. The definition of “user” might need discussion. In management terms, there are “open users”, and “the rest”. The others actually include Unknown, Secret & Hidden users, making the four parts of the Johari window.
When we engineer these products, we have protypes, alpha-outline versions with many tentatives parts, beta-test versions with expected bugs & incompatibilities. These beta versions are usually known as “Release Candidates”, RC.
In the FOSS world, we tend to try to be “open”, admitting our outlines & testing pieces. The very hostile commercial ripoff people are not so honest, not so ethical. These people love Secret & Hiding.
We need to explain your linked previous publication, where you state:
> “Microsoft bought GitHub for $7.5 billion. SUSE Enterprise Linux was sold for $2.5 billion. Today IBM announced that it is buying Red Hat for approximately $34 billion.”
Your reasons for commercial purchase of these open source products is debatable. Once purchased, the new owners can promise many claims. But the products are no longer open source.
Not all open source products are FOSS. Source code published by “The Linux Foundation” is open source. As a software product however it needs “compiling” before it is usable.
This open source product can be FOSS, but usually it is not. The raw source code, released every few days by “The Linux Foundation”, needs the non-FOSS code lines removed. At least one organization does this. Most other organization remove some lines, but generally they add their own “secret ingredients”.
Adding or removing these dry ingredients is the first step. Creating useful binary code needs tedious skilled treatment. Speed or power saving? Much or limited & very strict flexibility? There are so many ways the craft worker can be creative with raw alphanumeric codes, similar to the cook in a kitchen.
FOSS is very rare in the real world, because so often the commercial products work better than any open source product. The open source product could be hardware or software. Very often FOSS is considered a fantasy dream of the idealist innocent, where ownership & accountability should be meaningless. Karl Marx, as attempted in old Russia, Cuba, China, Cambodia & North Korea?
Some FOSS and some Open Source enthusiasts celebrate when the closed source Privateers seem legally friendly to either FOSS or Open Source. Senior people here, known as C*O, including CEO, CIO, CTO, CFO, etc. know historically that these Privateers are often fake friendlies, “trojans”, spies, white-ants, talent-scouting, buyout plotting, saboteurs, etc.
This Planet’s Chief Acting CEO (2016 – 2020) is currently “The_Donald”. He alone has very accurately stopped some of the fake friendliness, by some claimed FOSS groups.
We AgedFrailAdults (a subReddit) know that we have left a giant mess for you youngsters to inherit. Scientifically, if you ever study history, there is no “truth”. “Truth” really is fake news. Fake news is the propaganda of the messenger, who ever might be the messenger. This interpretation of the “message” to the “user”, depends on the “user”, according to the time, place & circumstances that any decision might be made.
Computer coding, as in FOSS, is alphanumeric language for silicon intelligence. For both Silicon & Hydocarbon intelligence (wetware), we need CT. Before wetware crafts (Human Resource Management, HRM) can ever be a Technology, it needs comprehensive & deep scientific foundations, Cognitive Science, CS. Technologies are costed, and have historical consistency & statistical predictability.
Personally as a scientist, I will no longer be alive when Cognitive Science (CS) is mature enough to be considered a Cognitive Technology, CT. When this current or the next pandemic kills myself, hopefully you youngsters might be able to undo this very rapid Sixth Planetary Extinction”, FOSS or not.
The OSI didn’t take the free away from FOSS because there was no FOSS before the OSI. There was just free software. The OSI took the practical goal of free software and rebranded it to be more suitable for companies by removing references to freedom, morals and the possibility to understand the name as meaning no-price. FLOSS was introduced as a term by people who were confused whether they should use “open source” or “free software”.
Oh Man, I hope Stallman never sees this. He’s behind Free Software; not FOSS.
FOSS is an attempt to conflate free software and open source.
This article should be about that: free software vs open source.