What is Open Source Software?

Computer programs are created through writing code like this:

for (a = 0; a < maximum; a++) {
    if (a > 5) {
        print "The variable a is greater than 5";
    } else {
        print a . "\n";
    }
}

Ok, that's very oversimplified, but it gets the point across. This code that is used to make computer programs is compiled into an unreadable machine format called binary that the computer can read. The binary format is used for distributing closed source software like Internet Explorer, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office, Windows XP, computer games and so on. 99.99% of the software that you would buy in a store is distributed in this format, without the original source code.

The problem with this is that you are at the mercy of the company that wrote the software to fix problems that arise. You are at the mercy of the company that is trying to make money for their software and using marketing tactics to control what is fixed and what features are implemented. It is like buying a car with the hood welded shut or practicing witchcraft instead of science. The company has you by the ears, so the quality goes down.

With open source software, this human readable programming code is distributed for free with the binary version. And the special terms that are used in open source software licenses give you permission to make changes, additions and improvements to this software, and submit them back to the original author. So problems that occur with the software are fixed rather quickly by those who use it.

And the amazing thing is that this open development model wins out in the end. Most of the software that is commonly used like the Linux kernel, X windows graphical interface, Apache web server, Gimp image manipulation program and so on are of such high quality that they rarely crash or have problems. They have a lot more features and customizability than any close source OS. Many Open Source systems run for months before they need to be rebooted, and even then its usually because the kernel needs to be upgraded, the power goes out or you are moving to a new apartment. ;-)

I personally have had servers run for over 400 days straight multiple times. They usually failed because the a hard drive failed (hardware problem). Meanwhile, windows machines beside it needed to be rebooted weekly or even daily.