Free Open Source Software

Just about everyone involved with software and computers has heard the term open source, or more specifically, free and open source software (FOSS). Most people have used FOSS, such as Mozilla Firefox and perhaps GNU/Linux. In fact, LabVIEW has some open source components such as the Mesa 3D open source cross-platform graphics library and the Perl Compatible Regular Expressions (PCRE) library, which powers its Match Regular Expression function.

OK, so what is FOSS? Generally speaking, FOSS is software that is licensed in a way that gives users the right to view, modify, and improve the source code. The term open source, on the other hand, is a much more specific term that generally refers to software that is licensed under terms that meet the criteria of the open source definition (http://opensource.org/docs/definition.php), which is maintained by the Open Source Initiative (http://opensource.org).

The open source definition defines the following set of criteria for being open source certified:

1. Free Redistribution

2. Source Code

3. Derived Works

4. Integrity of the Author's Source Code

5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups

6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor

7. Distribution of License

8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product

9. License Must Not Restrict Other Software

10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral

These criteria are designed to protect (1) the author/owner of the code, (2) the user of the code, and (3) the code itself. There are a variety of open source-certified licensesyou can find a list of them on the Web at http://www.opensource.org/licenses/and each of them places the priorities of protection for the three participants (author, user, and code) at differing levels based on the interests of the developers, sponsors, and users of the software.