Free software, open source software, active and commercial software
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/20784520
Expand community which by common dispute on open-source software: in the end what kind of software be open source software? Some of my friends that have to comply with the OSD ( at The Open Source Definition) standard is open-source software. Some friends think that as long as open source code can be. So it was a really open and pseudo-open source version, appeared in a variety of disputes. The open source community has also recently launched a discussion of whether open source software is open source.
In fact, the core problem is not that the definition of open source software, but that we translated a few words, let's look at the history of overseas:
- The early release of the software at the time are all attached to the source code, such as the early unix. Unix can be considered relatively early Source available software (although this was not yet the concept).
- Later, Bill Gates redefined the business model, the customer only to release binaries, not source code. This is a typical commercial software (Business software).
- Later RMS could not stand that we can not be certain corporate control, then launched the free software (Free software) movement.
- Later, many people feel too philosophical significance of free software, and proposed the neutral open source software (Open source) concept.
- At the same time, there are many commercial software companies to provide customers aware of the source code is also a good business model, there have been a lot of Source available software. For example, our peers JIRA :), such as HTML5 GUI framework Sciter. Pay can get the source code.
In the Western world there, Free software, Open source software, Business software and Source available software is very obvious distinction between each operation or business model is very clear.
With the rise of the Internet, these concepts have also spread to China, the software in the country also have their own representatives. For example, early LVS, today there are many companies open source software business. Nature does not need repeat business software. But the problem arises in the Source available software such software on it. Such software is a typical representative of the country is discuz. Its source code is open, but the ban on secondary development of commercial and licensing agreements.
Source available software Because there is no corresponding translation in Chinese inside, such software vendors call their software as open source software. The term open source software in the country there are two explanations, the emergence of various dispute is not surprising. Open source would you say that this is not open source, it is a pseudo open source. Source available to say that I have opened up the source code, I always say that I am a pseudo open source what does that mean?
How to resolve these differences do? I propose to translate Source available software as active software. Free software, open source software, active software, commercial software, so you can correspond and four Western concepts, can reduce a lot of saliva.
This four forms, can be divided into two categories: open-source software and commercial software. Free software certainly belongs to open source software, the software is also an active part of commercial software. Open source software is a business-friendly in order to active the software is commercial software more open. So open source software would be more active and closer in form.
There is a concept called share software, Chinese can be translated as shareware. Shareware should also belong to commercial software. There are a large number of domestic and foreign software in this way to promote and sell.
Later, with the rise of Github, and now there are a lot of software to play down the authorization. Many users wrote a piece of code that you love doing doing. This is a new phenomenon now.