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"Open Source refers to something that is publicly accessible, and therefore, can be modified and shared by anyone." What is open source software? Write the difference between open source and free software.

Computing Safety & Ethics

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Answer

Open source software is the software, whose source code is freely available and which can be copied, modified and redistributed as well. For example, Linux.

Difference between open source and free software:

S.
No.
Open Source SoftwareFree Software
1.Open source software refers to software whose source code is made available to the public, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the code.Free software refers to software that respects users' freedoms.
2.Open source emphasizes the practical benefits of transparency, collaboration, and the ability to modify and distribute software freely.Free software emphasizes the philosophical and ethical aspects of software freedom focusing on users' rights to control and modify the software they use.
3.Open source software can be released under various licenses, some of which are more permissive like BSD, MIT, Apache 2.Free software adheres to specific licenses like the GNU General Public License (GPL) that ensures users' freedoms.

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