[ILUG] Fwd:

[Paul O'Malley]

Rory McCann wrote:

>On 1/31/06, s105025648 <s105025648 at student.ucc.ie> wrote:
>  
>
>>We are five 1st year BComm students from U.C.C. As part of
>>our Management Information Systems module, we have to do a
>>project evaluating the advantages/disadvantages of open
>>source software over traditional software.
>>    
>>
>
>Wasn't open souce software the way software was traditionally
>sold/distributed/written? Or this just a story for young 'uns like me
>who are younger (almost) than the GNU Project?
>
>Rory McCann
>  
>
(Before I start: No all ye gang of admins and linux heads are not to all 
say vi at this time :-))
The first Free Software project emacs was passed around at $150 per 
tape. Now our friends in ucc may be interested to know that Free 
Software has been defined thus:

Software is Free Software if it comes with permission for all recipients 
to do the following four things:

    * Run the program, for any purpose.
    * Study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs.
    * Redistribute copies.
    * Improve the program, and release your improvements to the public.

[banging drum]
Not bad really, there is no barrier to innovation using this software, 
as a useful exercise  in understanding the difference between what you 
can and can't do I  wish to suggest that you investigate a licence for a 
proprietary piece of software called a "compiler" they come with some 
programming languages and what you may do or not do with such software. 
[/banging drum]

To sum up, it may not be free as in cost, however once in your 
possession you can release the source and binarys for a reasonable 
copying fee or for nothing your choice. As a result the business model 
becomes one of service provision.

Lots more information here:
http://www.gnu.org
The Gnu project
http://www.fsf.org
Free Software Foundation.
http://www.ifso.ie
The Irish Free Software Association.
http://www.opensource.org
The home of the Open Source Initiative (OSI)** is a non-profit corporation.

I hope this is of use to you.

Regards,

Paul  O'Malley