What is Open Source?
Maybe you often hear the word open source. Especially if you are a user of the GNU/Linux operating system, of which Linux itself is an example of an application open source operating system type.
But do you know what it is open source actually? Why is it called open source? And what are the advantages of the applications open source?
Basically an application is made from a series of code written in a particular programming language and with certain rules, this series of codes is also known as source code.
source code (source code) is the most important part of a program, which is the lifeblood of an application. With source code That’s where an application does its job according to its function and performs data manipulation. source code usually stored in one or more files, which will go through the compilation process first so that it can be executed by the computer.
Then from source code This is where the term open source comes from. Based on source codeapplications are classified into two types, namely: closed source and open source.
Open source or in Indonesian means open source code is a term used for an application which source code from the application can be seen and accessed by anyone.
Not only can you see source code they can be changed, modified, developed, improved and re-shared by anyone who wants to do so.
By having access to source code With this application, anyone can change the application according to their wishes, such as adding or removing certain parts of the application or fixing parts that are not working properly.
Example of application open source these are LibreOffice and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program).
Differences Open Source Applications With Other Types Of Applications
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| Difference between Open Source and Proprietary Software |
While the application closed source (closed source code) is different from the app open source. source code from the app closed source only belong to one programmer, a team, or a company that makes the application.
Application closed source also called by name proprietary software (certain property rights application). Example from proprietary software these are Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office.
To use proprietary software, Usually when you first run the application, you are asked to agree to the terms and conditions set by the application maker, such as the requirement that you will not do anything to the application without the knowledge of the application owner and so on.
Application open source also has terms and conditions that must be obeyed by application users open source. But the terms and conditions owned by the application open source and proprietary software very much different and tend to be inversely proportional.
Open Source Application License and Policy
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| Open Source Application License and Policy |
Licence open source affect both users and application developers (programmer). Open source influence the way people use software, then novice programmers who want to learn can learn from source code which are publicly accessible.
In general, license open source grant an access right or permission to the user to use the application open source with any purpose and need in accordance with what they want.
A license open source or in other terms it can also be called “copyleft” licenses” stipulates that anyone who modifies an application open source and then redistribute it, must include source code of the modified application.
Anyone can change, modify, improve and redistribute an application open source as long as they also allow others to do the same with apps they modify or redistribute.
Judging from the design, the license open source offers a different way of collaboration between programmer in creating and developing an application.
When someone programmer create an app and include source code to be accessed and changed by anyone, then from source code that other people can develop it again and fix the parts that don’t work well, then distribute it along with source code so that it can be accessed and repaired by others, and so on, and so on.
In this way indirectly the developers or programmer it already did project collaborating or merging with project them to build a better app.
This is also what makes an application open source can develop very quickly. So don’t be surprised if Linux – as an application open source – growing very fast and has so many distributions today.
Are Open Source Applications Only Used by Programmers?
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| Use of Open Source |
For ordinary people, may think that the application open source only used by people in certain fields such as programmer, developer etc.
But in reality this is not the case. Application open source and technology open source not only used by people in the circle programmer just, open source used by almost all groups – directly or indirectly – good programmer or not.
Who doesn’t use the internet? Many things from technology that build the Internet using technology and applications open source, an example is Linux which is the operating system for most of the servers of internet services that we use today, and Apache which is the application web server for many sites on the internet.
We can use the internet today, one of the reasons is because of the benefits of technology and applications open source.
Advantages of Open Source Applications
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| Advantages of Open Source Applications |
Apart from being free, open source has its own advantages which are the reasons why people prefer to use apps open source compared to proprietary software.
These advantages should also be a reason for you to like and use applications open source. These advantages include:
You have full control and access rights to open source applications.
One of the main advantages and reasons why people prefer to use apps open source compared to using proprietary software is because they have more control and access rights over the applications they use.
By having access to view and change source code from an app, you can check source code This is to ensure that you’re not doing something you shouldn’t be doing and that you can change the parts of the app that you don’t like or don’t want to use.
You can learn from open source applications
One of the other reasons why people prefer to use apps open source compared to using proprietary software is because they can learn from the app open source.
Because source code from an app open source can be freely accessed, you can learn from source code That’s how the application works and can be a guide for you to make better applications.
You can also re-share the modified application open source that you modified along with source codeso that you can invite comments and criticisms from others that can hone your skills and make you avoid the same mistakes in the future.
Open Source is Safer and Grows Very Fast
Other advantages of the app open source is an app open source more secure and app open source growing very fast. Because having source code which can be accessed by anyone, thus allowing anyone to correct an error if it finds a point of error or error.
This allows bugs in the application open source can be patched or repaired immediately without having to ask permission first or report and wait for improvements from the application developer. Until the application open source be safer.
Long Term Support or Long Term Use
Programmers who make an application open source enclose source code from the application and can be accessed easily by anyone. That way people are sure that the app will not disappear or stop developing.
Even if programmer or the original developer of an app open source stop developing the application, the application can continue to be developed by others because it has source code of the application.
