Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

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Revision as of 16:08, 13 July 2008

Welcome! This Wiki provides information about Free Open Source Software (FOSS), also called Free / Libre Open Source Software (F/LOSS or FLOSS), software that is licensed to be free to use, modify, and distribute. In return for this value, some FOSS licenses require all modifications distributed in binary computer code to be made publicly available in human modifiable source code under the same license as the original code, continually growing the shared capability. In contrast, Commercial Open Source Software usually contains elements of openly published code, but limits availability of some enhanced functionality to closed proprietary software, and so does not qualify as FOSS as a whole, and is not documented on this site.

FOSS is developed and maintained by globally distributed communities of developers, associations of companies, non-profit foundations, businesses that sell associated added value support and services, and academic and research insitutions. It is increasingly becoming the global standard, the default choice for development tools and component modules to operating systems and business applications, because it can help individuals and organizations structurally reduce their software costs, provide more security, enhance open standards compliance, avoid vendor lock-in, and build long-term investment protection so these benefits are passed on over many years. The following sections provide more information:

Information:

        

Sources:

Other Information

Site Editing

Anyone can add to existing pages by clicking the "Edit" tab at the top of the page (except for this Main Page and a few other locked pages). To create a new page on a FOSS related topic, first search for the intended page name in the Search box on the left navigation bar, and if it was not found then click "create new page" on the results page. Text formatting buttons are provided at the top of the Edit box when editing a page, and this page provides additional editing information.