What is Open Source?
● Open source: software and source code
available to all
The freedom to distribute software and source code
The ability to modify and create derived works
Integrity of author's code
● The Free Software Foundation and the Four
Freedoms
Linux Origins
● 1984: The GNU Project and the Free Software
Foundation
Creates open source version of UNIX utilities
Creates the General Public License (GPL)
Software license enforcing open source principles
● 1991: Linus Torvalds
Creates open source, UNIX-like kernel, released under the
GPL
Ports some GNU utilities, solicits assistance online
● Today:
Linux kernel + GNU utilities = complete, open source,
UNIX-like operating system
■ Packaged for targeted audiences as
distributions
