Introduction: An Open Source Briefing

On stumbling upon this blog, a reader might ask: "What's Open Source?"

Well, Hypothetical Reader, your hypothetical question is a very good one. Because I like you so much, I'm going to answer it!

I will steer as far away from ubertechnical terms as my powers allow me. (Yes, I do have powers. It's best if you don't ask too many hypothetical questions about them. Trust me.)

Basically (and I do mean basically), Open Source software is software whose source is freely available to anybody. By source, I mean in very generic terms the coding of the software or program: the guts, or what makes it tick-- if you prefer.

With me so far? Good. (I was about to drown in poorly-conceived metaphors.) Now, you may be musing about a follow-up hypothetical question: What's the point of putting the code online? Another great question, Hypothetical Reader! The point of the software code availability is actually what attracts many users to these innovations. Anyone with some coding skill can make improvements and add-ons to the software. Instead of a set group of programmers and developers like many paid programs have, avenues of input for Open Source programs are limitless. Online communities exist for the sole purpose of discussion and development of various software.

While this may seem interesting to only the geekiest of the geeks, the benefits to your average computer user are actually rather large in quantity. Chances are, if you've been using computer programs for more than a few months, you've become familiar with the term "Troubleshoot" and the various "Help" menus. A quick Google search for help with an Open Source program will offer you valuable results courtesy of online communities and developers. Yes, this is true for many paid programs, as well. However, these online communities consist of the same groups of people devoting free time to fixing bugs in their favorite software. Fancier software from profit-seeking companies don't have bug fixes as quickly available as Open Source developers do. While some are attempting to constantly churn out updates, Open Source communities still thrive in the area of frequency.

Before closing the post, I should offer some clarification on the difference between Freeware and Open Source. I realize I haven't done this area justice thus far, and some (especially you, Hypothetical Reader) may be confused. While I often contrast Open Source software to paid software, paid software is not the only form of "closed source" programs out there. Plenty of free applications available on the Internet are closed source. They're still free, but development is limited to their distributors. Open Source is Freeware, but Freeware is not necessarily Open Source.

I realize that the term "Freeware" has developed quite the bad connotation over the years and has occasionally been synonymous with the terms "Adware" and "Malware." However, there are some very good free programs out there -- even closed source ones. I'll be digging a little deeper into issues such as safety concerns in Open Source software and Freeware in general in the next post. So stay tuned! (Or stay logged on, or something. Proof Internet creations are still relatively new: the cliche repository is very lacking!)