Computer Applications
What is the difference between an Open Source and Free software?
Computing Safety & Ethics
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Answer
Differences between Open Source software and Free software:
| S. No. | Open Source Software | Free 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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