human
What is the difference between an open source and a closed source application?
assistant
Open Source Software (OSS) is software that can be freely used, studied, modified, and shared by anyone. It's typically distributed under a license that allows users to copy, modify, and redistribute the software. Closed source software (CSO), on the other hand, is software that is not available for public viewing or modification. The code is usually protected by copyright law and cannot be accessed without permission from the author.