The Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) approach to system
development has a rich history from the beginnings of the modern
computer age. The GNU/Linux operating system was developed by a group
of people interested in creating an operating system that retained
important user and developer rights, such as the right to modify the
software. Like Freedom of Speech, these rights are important to
retain, but are not usually invoked by the majority of users. No one
person or entity owns the Linux/GNU operating system. It is used by
virtue of a GNU General Public License (GPL) which stipulates that the
source code (human readable) of the project must be available at no
additional cost to users. Most GPL'ed source code is delivered along
with object code (computer executable) for free or nominal cost of the
recordable media that contains it. The value of open source
initiatives comes from the dynamic interplay of users helping each
other solve unique and common problems with shared computer code
writing duties. All parties benefit from this collaborative approach
which has more in common with health research than proprietary
software. Because the United States must develop a solution that any
health provider anywhere in the country can exchange information with
any other provider, the FOSS approach can yield superior results by
avoiding problems of trade secrets in proprietary software and the
weaknesses of using open-standards only.
- Urgent need for open source author/editor and reference... Bruce Slater
- Re: Urgent need for open source author/editor and ... Ignacio Valdes
- Re: Urgent need for open source author/editor ... Bruce Slater
- Re: Urgent need for open source author/edi... John Norris
- Re: Urgent need for open source author/edi... J. Antas
- Re: larger FOSS work. Ignacio Valdes
- Re: larger FOSS work. Nandalal Gunaratne
- Re: larger FOSS work. Ignacio Valdes
- Re: Re: Urgent need for open source author/editor ... Tim Churches
- Re: Re: Urgent need for open source author/edi... Andreas Tille
- Open roster for open source programmers Richard Schilling
- Re: Urgent need for open source author/editor and ...