People’s reflections on open source

The confusion surrounding open source is leading to a variety of debates and questions on the Internet with a meaning that has always been challenged over time. We find personal questioning and misunderstandings, philosophical divergences in a variety of forms and contexts. The purpose here is to collect the resources of people online who are considering the definition and meaning of « open source ».

Beside proposing other resources, feel free to share your own thoughts, potential confusions you’re experiencing in a way we can record it in the knowledge base to contribute to the debate! Thoughts as much from people who explain the clarity they think they perceive as from those who are slightly lost in the vagueness of open source.

Table of content:

A questioning of meaning that has lasted forever?

*Eric Raymond has [tried to] trademarked the term “Open Source” (capitalized) and has a somewhat precise definition of what is or isn’t Open Source on his web site.

I sometimes worry that this can become a limitation: what if I call my software Open Source, with his approval, and later I change the terms and conditions, or Eric changes his definition – I could be sued by someone who says I have to stick to the Open Source [Definition] rules.

We’ll see – for now, I’m favorable to the concept, but we won’t put “Open Source” on the Python web site yet.* Guido van Rossum, Open Source Summit Trip Report, April 1998

Open Source Undefined - Community

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