Open Source: Software Gets
HonestOpen-source software is an idea whose time has
finally come. For twenty years it has been building momentum in
the technical cultures that built the Internet and the World Wide Web. Now
it's breaking out into the commercial world, and that's changing all the
rules. Are you ready?
This site offers several complementary views of the
open-source phenomenon. You can read a brief introduction, a techie/hacker's
case, a businessperson's case,
and a customer's
case. Still not convinced? Then read some third-party case studies.
Those of you who regard Microsoft products as the acme of computing can
even read the Halloween
Documents, two annotated Microsoft internal white papers on open
source.
You can examine the Open
Source Definition, which captures the essential properties of Open
Source software. You can read about successful software
products that have these properties, and about our certification
mark and program, which allow you to be confident that software really
is Open Source.
The Open Source Initiative is dedicated to managing and promoting the
Open Source Definition for the good of the community, specifically through
the OSI Certified Open Software certification mark and program.. You can
read our launch
announcement, our Open
Letter to AOL, and our announcement
of the `OSI Certified' Open Source mark. Here is more information
about the organization.
OSI has established a mailing list to review licenses submitted to the
license-approval
list. To subscribe, send mail to license-discuss-subscribe@opensource.org.
Unsubscribes go to license-discuss-unsubscribe@opensource.org.
The usual -request address works as well.
We've created an Open Source Wire Service for the
press. To subscribe, send email to wire-service@opensource.org
with the e-mail address you want subscribed, and a sentence explaining who
you write for. This address will only be used for press releases; you can
alson read our past
press releases.
If you aren't writing for the press, don't worry! You'll be able to see
our announcements on Usenet newsgroups and elsewhere, and we'll have an
announcement list server up for you soon!
You can read a brief history of the
open-source concept, and browse links to other
open-source-related resources. We also maintain a page answering Frequently Asked Questions.
You can see what's new
on this site.
For news related to open-source projects, you can try this
search; or try this
one to exclude Linux hits.
This site is still evolving as we think through the
implications of open source in the commercial world. We don't claim to
have all the answers yet, so mail
us with your thoughts and criticisms. Also, please send us
URLs of articles and papers on commercial trials of the
open-source model, Linux, and related topics.
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