What The Heck Is FLOSS Anyway

What Exactly Is Free (Libre) Open Source Software?    

 Free (Libre) Open Source Software, known as FLOSS, FOSS, or OSS, is software that anyone is free to use, copy, improve, examine and/or distribute, either free of cost or for a price. More precisely, it refers to four fundamental freedoms which users of all software should have:

1. Users should be able to run the software for any purpose.

2. Users should be able to closely examine and study the software and should be able to freely modify and improve it to suit their needs better.

3. Users should be able to give copies of the software to other people for whom the software will be useful.

4. Users should be able to improve the software and freely distribute their improvements to the broader public so that they, as a whole, benefit.

Ultimately the concept is that you retain your rights to do what you will as a user. There are lots of different types of free software licenses which cover and specify different levels of freedom, however they all have the commonality that the under-lying code which runs the program is available for free, which in almost all cases guarantees you a number of rights that you waive when you agree to a standard EULA (End User License Agreement) when using proprietary software.

What does FREE actually mean???:

The word "free" has two meanings in the English language:

1. The "free" as in "free beer", which refers to zero cost.
2. The "free" as in "free speach, which refers to freedom.

The "free" as in "free software" refers to the four fundamental freedoms mentioned above. There's nothing in the definition of free software that says that you cannot sell it to someone for a price. Indeed, there are companies whose entire business model is centered around collecting, compiling and selling free software with value-added services.  Also, many companies use free software to run their businesses – Google and Yahoo! are two prime examples.

 Why Is It FREE???

Free software exists because those who write it choose to give it away for others to use at no cost. Its their copyright; they make the choice to give it away. Its that simple.