F

FAT32

File Allocation Table 32-bits; file system offered by Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP. Linux can both read and write to FAT32 file systems. See also NTFS and VFAT.

FLOSS

Free, Libre, or Open Source Software; used within the community to describe all software or technology that, broadly speaking, adheres to the ethical approach of Open Source software and/or Free Software, as well as its legal guidelines.

FOSS

Free or Open Source Software; alternative term for FLOSS.

free

When used to describe software or associated areas of technology, “free” indicates that the project abides by the ethical (if not legal) guidelines laid down by GNU Project, The. It doesn’t indicate that the software is free in a monetary sense; its meaning is quite different from “freeware.”

Free Software

Software in which the source code—the original listing created by the programmer—is available for all to see, share, study, and adapt to their own needs. This differs from the concept of Open Source because the right of others to further modify the code is guaranteed via the GPL software license (or a compatible license). For various reasons, Free Software sometimes does not include the source code (although the software can still be legally decompiled), but this is rare.