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</a><li class="middle odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-5551-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/matlab> Alternatives to MATLAB </a><li class="middle even sf-item-6 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-5501-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/minecraft> Alternatives to Minecraft </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-7 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-4651-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/google-photos> Alternatives to Google Photos </a><li class="middle even sf-item-8 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27351-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/life/12/6/design-without-debt-five-tools-for-designers> Alternatives to Photoshop </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-9 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-4661-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/microsoft-publisher> Alternatives to Publisher </a><li class="middle even sf-item-10 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27371-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/skype> Alternatives to Skype </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-11 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-5511-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/slack> Alternatives to Slack </a><li class="middle even sf-item-12 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-4641-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives/trello> Alternatives to Trello </a><li class="last odd sf-item-13 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-5546-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/alternatives> More... </a></ul><li class="last even sf-item-6 sf-depth-2 sf-no-children"id=menu-19886-1><a class=sf-depth-2 href=/resources/linux> Linux </a></ul><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-1 sf-total-children-7 sf-parent-children-7 sf-single-children-0 menuparent"id=menu-19666-1><a class="sf-depth-1 menuparent"href=/downloads/cheat-sheets> Downloads </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-31 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-31 menuparent"id=menu-19406-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/downloads/cheat-sheets> Cheat sheets </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27711-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/ansible-cheat-sheet> Ansible cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27476-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/ansible-k8s-cheat-sheet> Ansible k8s cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19651-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/cheat-sheet-awk-features> AWK cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27241-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/bash-cheat-sheet> Bash cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-18641-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/blender-hotkey-cheat-sheet> Blender cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-6 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27466-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=https://opensource.com/downloads/c-programming-cheat-sheet> C cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-7 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-28246-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/curl-command-cheat-sheet> Curl cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-8 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27336-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/emacs-cheat-sheet> Emacs cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-9 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27356-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/firewall-cheat-sheet> Firewall Cheat Sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-10 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-18856-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/freedos-commands-cheat-sheet> FreeDOS cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-11 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19721-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/content/cheat-sheet-gimp> GIMP cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-12 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19696-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/cheat-sheet-gnome-3> GNOME cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-13 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-18661-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/groff-macros-cheat-sheet> Groff macros cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-14 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19731-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/go-cheat-sheet> Go cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-15 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19716-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/cheat-sheet-i3-window-manager-keybinding> i3 window manager cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-16 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19781-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/inkscape-cheat-sheet> Inkscape Cheat Sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-17 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-16886-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/irc-cheat-sheet> IRC cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-18 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27271-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/java-cheat-sheet> Java cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-19 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-29631-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/javascript-cheat-sheet> JavaScript cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-20 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27471-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=https://opensource.com/downloads/kubectl-cheat-sheet> Kubectl cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-21 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-28641-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/kubernetes-cheat-sheet> Kubernetes cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-22 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27246-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/linux-common-commands-cheat-sheet> Linux common commands cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-23 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27216-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/linux-permissions-cheat-sheet> Linux user permissions cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-24 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27256-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/microservices-cheat-sheet> Microservices cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-25 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19301-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/cheat-sheet-networking> Networking cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-26 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-18636-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/pandoc-cheat-sheet> Pandoc cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-27 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27261-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/pip-cheat-sheet> pip cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-28 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19711-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/cheat-sheet-python-37-beginners> Python 3.7 cheat sheet </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-29 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19726-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/getting-started-raspberry-pi-cheat-sheet> Raspberry Pi cheat sheet </a><li class="middle even sf-item-30 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19691-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/cheat-sheet-selinux> SELinux cheat sheet </a><li class="last odd sf-item-31 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-18591-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/advanced-ssh-cheat-sheet> SSH cheat sheet </a></ul><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-5 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-5 menuparent"id=menu-19906-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/downloads/cheat-sheets> Programming guides </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19891-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/7-essential-pypi-libraries> 7 essential PyPI libraries </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-29456-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/python-3-ebook> 30 hidden gems in Python 3 </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27706-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/jupyter-guide> 6 surprising ways to use Jupyter </a><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-29161-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/python-gaming-ebook> A guide to building a video game with Python </a><li class="last odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-29156-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/bash-programming-guide> An introduction to programming with Bash </a></ul><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-5 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-5 menuparent"id=menu-19911-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/downloads/cheat-sheets> DevOps guides </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19806-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/devops-transformation> Starting a DevOps transformation </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19776-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/small-scale-scrum> Introduction to Small Scale Scrum </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19771-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/devsecops> Getting started with DevSecOps </a><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19701-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/devops-monitoring-guide> DevOps monitoring tools guide </a><li class="last odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19686-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/devops-hiring-guide> DevOps hiring guide </a></ul><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-3 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-3 menuparent"id=menu-19916-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/downloads/cheat-sheets> Sysadmin guides </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19801-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=https://opensource.com/downloads/ansible-quickstart> Ansible Automation for Sysadmins </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19706-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/containers-primer> Containers primer </a><li class="last odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-28951-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/kubernetes-sysadmin> Kubernetes for SREs and sysadmins </a></ul><li class="middle odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-10 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-10 menuparent"id=menu-19901-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/downloads/cheat-sheets> eBooks </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19896-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/getting-started-kubernetes-ebook> Getting started with Kubernetes </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27276-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/guide-inter-process-communication-linux> Inter-process communication in Linux </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27321-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/collaboration-tools-ebook> 5 open source collaboration tools </a><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27311-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/organization-tools> 6 open source tools for staying organized </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27316-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/desktop-tools> 7 open source desktop tools </a><li class="middle even sf-item-6 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-29906-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/java-serverless-ebook> A guide to Java serverless functions </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-7 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-29071-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/home-automation-ebook> A practical guide to home automation using open source tools </a><li class="middle even sf-item-8 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-28956-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/kubernetes-sysadmin> Kubernetes for SREs and sysadmins </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-9 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27366-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/raspberry-pi-guide> Raspberry Pi: How to get started </a><li class="last even sf-item-10 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27451-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/kubernetes-raspberry-pi> Running Kubernetes on your Raspberry Pi </a></ul><li class="middle even sf-item-6 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-5 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-5 menuparent"id=menu-12466-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/yearbook/2017> Open Source Yearbook </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19681-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/yearbook/2015> 2015 </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19676-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/yearbook/2016> 2016 </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19671-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/yearbook/2017> 2017 </a><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19786-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/yearbook/2018> 2018 </a><li class="last odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-27346-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/downloads/2019-yearbook-special-edition> 2019 Special Edition </a></ul><li class="last odd sf-item-7 sf-depth-2 sf-total-children-6 sf-parent-children-0 sf-single-children-6 menuparent"id=menu-15051-1><a class="sf-depth-2 menuparent"href=/open-organization/resources/book-series> Open Organization series </a> <ul><li class="first odd sf-item-1 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-16906-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/open-organization/resources/field-guide> Field Guide </a><li class="middle even sf-item-2 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-16891-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/open-organization/resources/leaders-manual> Leaders Manual </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-3 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-16896-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/open-organization/resources/culture-change> Guide to IT Culture Change </a><li class="middle even sf-item-4 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-19856-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/open-organization/resources/educators-guide> Guide for Educators </a><li class="middle odd sf-item-5 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-17796-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/open-organization/resources/workbook> Workbook </a><li class="last even sf-item-6 sf-depth-3 sf-no-children"id=menu-18656-1><a class=sf-depth-3 href=/open-organization/resources/organize-innovation> Organize for Innovation 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os-article--with-image"id=no-sidebar-border><div class=os-article__top><div class=os-article__top-inner><div class="panel-pane pane-node-title"><h1>What is open source?</h1></div></div></div><div class=os-article__image><div class="panel-pane pane-entity-field pane-node-field-lead-image"><div class="field field-name-field-lead-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class=field-items><div class="field-item even"><img alt="Open source resources"title="Open source resources"class=image-full-size height=292 src=https://opensource.com/sites/default/files/styles/image-full-size/public/lead-images/OSDC_Resource_Main_Page.png?itok=BS2hUvA5 typeof=foaf:Image width=520></div></div></div></div></div><div class=os-article__left><div class="panel-pane pane-block pane-bean-email-capture widget-block"><div class=target-band-never-show-button>x</div><h2 class=pane-title>Subscribe now</h2><div class="entity entity-bean bean-generic-block clearfix"about=/block/email-capture><div class=content><div class="field field-name-field-body field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class=field-items><div class="field-item even"><p class=eloqua-email-capture-text>Get the highlights in your inbox every week.<p><iframe style="max-width:600px;margin:0 auto;"frameborder=0 height=100 id=fkfkx scrolling=no src=/eloqua-embedded-email-capture-block.html?offer_id=70160000000QzXNAA0 width=250></iframe></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=os-article__middle><div class="panel-pane pane-entity-field pane-node-body"><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class=field-items><div class="field-item even"property=content:encoded><p>The term <a href=https://opensource.com/article/18/2/coining-term-open-source-software> open source </a> refers to something people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible.<p>The term originated in the context of software development to designate a specific approach to creating computer programs. Today, however, "open source" designates a broader set of values—what we call " <a href=https://opensource.com/open-source-way> the open source way </a> ." Open source projects, products, or initiatives embrace and celebrate principles of open exchange, collaborative participation, rapid prototyping, transparency, meritocracy, and community-oriented development.<h2>What is open source software?</h2><p>Open source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance.<p>"Source code" is the part of software that most computer users don't ever see; it's the code computer programmers can manipulate to change how a piece of software—a "program" or "application"—works. Programmers who have access to a computer program's source code can improve that program by adding features to it or fixing parts that don't always work correctly.<h2>What's the difference between open source software and other types of software?</h2><p><div class="embedded-callout-menu callout-float-right"id=more-great-content><div class="view view-related-content-callout view-id-related_content_callout view-display-id-article_block view-dom-id-a64b5cdd09fb427d3b21a2dd9d22f60a"><div class=view-header>More Great Content</div><div class=view-content><div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"><div class="views-field views-field-field-related-content-link"><div class=field-content><div class=item-list><ul><li class=first><a href=https://www.redhat.com/en/services/training/rh024-red-hat-linux-technical-overview?intcmp=7016000000127cYAAQ> Free online course: RHEL technical overview </a><li><a href=https://developers.redhat.com/cheat-sheets/advanced-linux-commands/?intcmp=7016000000127cYAAQ> Learn Advanced Linux Commands </a><li><a href=https://opensource.com/downloads/cheat-sheets?intcmp=7016000000127cYAAQ> Download Cheat Sheets </a><li><a href=https://opensource.com/alternatives?intcmp=7016000000127cYAAQ> Find an Open Source Alternative </a><li><a href=https://opensource.com/tags/linux?intcmp=7016000000127cYAAQ> Read Top Linux Content </a><li class=last><a href=https://opensource.com/resources?intcmp=7016000000127cYAAQ> Check out open source resources </a></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> Some software has source code that only the person, team, or organization who created it—and maintains exclusive control over it—can modify. People call this kind of software "proprietary" or "closed source" software. <p><p>Only the original authors of proprietary software can legally copy, inspect, and alter that software. And in order to use proprietary software, computer users must agree (usually by signing a license displayed the first time they run this software) that they will not do anything with the software that the software's authors have not expressly permitted. Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop are examples of proprietary software.<p>Open source software is different. Its authors <a href=https://opensource.com/business/13/5/open-source-your-code> make its source code available </a> to others who would like to view that code, copy it, learn from it, alter it, or share it. <a href=https://www.libreoffice.org/ target=_blank> LibreOffice </a> and the <a href=http://www.gimp.org/ target=_blank> GNU Image Manipulation Program </a> are examples of open source software.<p>As they do with proprietary software, users must accept the terms of a <a href=https://opensource.com/law/13/1/which-open-source-software-license-should-i-use> license </a> when they use open source software—but the legal terms of open source licenses differ dramatically from those of proprietary licenses.<p>Open source licenses affect the way people can <a href=https://opensource.com/law/10/10/license-compliance-not-problem-open-source-users> use, study, modify, and distribute </a> software. In general, open source licenses grant computer users <a href=https://opensource.org/docs/osd target=_blank> permission to use open source software for any purpose they wish </a> . Some open source licenses—what some people call "copyleft" licenses—stipulate that anyone who releases a modified open source program must also release the source code for that program alongside it. Moreover, <a href=https://opensource.com/law/13/5/does-your-code-need-license> some open source licenses </a> stipulate that anyone who alters and shares a program with others must also share that program's source code without charging a licensing fee for it.<p>By design, open source software licenses promote collaboration and sharing because they permit other people to make modifications to source code and incorporate those changes into their own projects. They encourage computer programmers to access, view, and modify open source software whenever they like, as long as they let others do the same when they share their work.<h2>Is open source software only important to computer programmers?</h2><p>No. Open source technology and open source thinking both benefit programmers and non-programmers.<p>Because early inventors built much of the Internet itself on open source technologies—like <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/what-is-linux> the Linux operating system </a> and the <a href=http://httpd.apache.org/ target=_blank> Apache Web server application </a> —anyone using the Internet today benefits from open source software.<p>Every time computer users view web pages, check email, chat with friends, stream music online, or play multiplayer video games, their computers, mobile phones, or gaming consoles connect to a global network of computers using open source software to route and transmit their data to the "local" devices they have in front of them. The computers that do all this important work are typically located in faraway places that users don't actually see or can't physically access—which is why some people call these computers "remote computers."<p>More and more, people rely on remote computers when performing tasks they might otherwise perform on their local devices. For example, they may use online word processing, email management, and image editing software that they don't install and run on their personal computers. Instead, they simply access these programs on remote computers by using a Web browser or mobile phone application. When they do this, they're engaged in "remote computing."<p>Some people call remote computing "cloud computing," because it involves activities (like storing files, sharing photos, or watching videos) that incorporate not only local devices but also a global network of remote computers that form an "atmosphere" around them.<p>Cloud computing is an increasingly important aspect of everyday life with Internet-connected devices. Some cloud computing applications, like Google Apps, are proprietary. Others, like <a href=https://owncloud.org/ target=_blank> ownCloud </a> and <a href=https://nextcloud.com/ target=_blank> Nextcloud </a> , are open source.<p>Cloud computing applications run "on top" of additional software that helps them operate smoothly and efficiently, so people will often say that software running "underneath" cloud computing applications acts as a " <a href=https://opensource.com/life/14/4/why-open-infrastructure-matters> platform </a> " for those applications. Cloud computing platforms can be open source or closed source. <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/what-is-openstack> OpenStack </a> is an example of an open source cloud computing platform.<h2>Why do people prefer using open source software?</h2><p>People prefer open source software to proprietary software for a number of reasons, including:<p><b> Control. </b> Many people prefer open source software because they <a href=https://opensource.com/life/13/5/tumblr-open-publishing> have more control </a> over that kind of software. They can examine the code to make sure it's not doing anything they don't want it to do, and they can change parts of it they don't like. Users who aren't programmers also benefit from open source software, because they can use this software for any purpose they wish—not merely the way someone else thinks they should.<p><b> Training. </b> Other people like open source software because it helps them <a href=https://opensource.com/life/13/6/learning-program-open-source-way> become better programmers </a> . Because open source code is publicly accessible, students can easily study it as they learn to make better software. Students can also share their work with others, inviting comment and critique, as they develop their skills. When people discover mistakes in programs' source code, they can share those mistakes with others to help them avoid making those same mistakes themselves.<p><b> Security. </b> Some people prefer open source software because they consider it more <a href=https://opensource.com/government/10/9/scap-computer-security-rest-us> secure </a> and stable than proprietary software. Because anyone can view and modify open source software, someone might spot and correct errors or omissions that a program's original authors might have missed. And because so many programmers can work on a piece of open source software without asking for permission from original authors, they can fix, update, and upgrade open source software more <a href=https://opensource.com/government/13/2/bug-fix-day> quickly </a> than they can proprietary software.<p><b> Stability. </b> Many users prefer open source software to proprietary software for important, long-term projects. Because programmers <a href=https://opensource.com/life/12/9/should-we-develop-open-source-openly> publicly distribute </a> the source code for open source software, users relying on that software for critical tasks can be sure their tools won't disappear or fall into disrepair if their original creators stop working on them. Additionally, open source software tends to both incorporate and operate according to open standards.<p><b> Community. </b> Open source software often inspires a community of users and developers to form around it. That's not unique to open source; many popular applications are the subject of meetups and user groups. But in the case of open source, the community isn't just a fanbase that buys in (emotionally or financially) to an elite user group; it's the people who produce, test, use, promote, and ultimately affect the software they love.<h2>Doesn't "open source" just mean something is free of charge?</h2><p>No. This is a <a href=https://opensource.com/education/12/7/clearing-open-source-misconceptions> common misconception </a> about what "open source" implies, and the concept's implications are <a href=https://opensource.com/open-organization/16/5/appreciating-full-power-open> not only economic </a> .<p>Open source software programmers can charge money for the open source software they create or to which they contribute. But in some cases, because an open source license might require them to release their source code when they sell software to others, some programmers find that charging users money for <em> software services and support </em> (rather than for the software itself) is more lucrative. This way, their software remains free of charge, and they <a href=https://opensource.com/business/14/7/making-your-product-free-and-open-source-crazy-talk> make money helping others </a> install, use, and troubleshoot it.<p>While some open source software may be free of charge, skill in programming and troubleshooting open source software can be <a href=https://opensource.com/business/16/2/add-open-source-to-your-resume> quite valuable </a> . Many employers specifically seek to <a href=https://opensource.com/business/16/5/2016-open-source-jobs-report> hire programmers with experience </a> working on open source software.<h2>What is open source "beyond software"?</h2><p>At Opensource.com, we like to say that we're interested in the ways open source values and principles apply to the world <em> beyond software </em> . We like to think of open source as not only a way to develop and license computer software, but also an <em> attitude </em> .<p>Approaching all aspects of life " <a href=https://opensource.com/open-source-way target=_blank> the open source way </a> " means expressing a willingness to share, collaborating with others in ways that are transparent (so that others can watch and join too), embracing failure as a means of improving, and expecting—even encouraging—everyone else to do the same.<p>It also means committing to playing an active role in improving the world, which is possible only when <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-access target=_blank> everyone has access </a> to the way that world is designed.<p>The world is full of "source code"— <a href=https://opensource.com/life/11/6/architecture-open-source-applications-learn-those-you> blueprints </a> , <a href=https://opensource.com/life/12/6/open-source-like-sharing-recipe> recipes </a> , <a href=https://opensource.com/life/12/4/day-my-mind-became-open-sourced> rules </a> —that guide and shape the way we think and act in it. We believe this underlying code (whatever its form) should be open, accessible, and shared—so many people can have a hand in altering it for the better.<p>Here, we tell stories about the impact of open source values on all areas of life— <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/open-science target=_blank> science </a> , <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-education target=_blank> education </a> , <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/open-government target=_blank> government </a> , <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-hardware target=_blank> manufacturing </a> , health, law, and <a href=https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-organization target=_blank> organizational dynamics </a> . We're a community committed to telling others how the open source way is the <em> best </em> way, because a love of open source is just like anything else: it's better when it's shared.<h2>Where can I learn more about open source?</h2><p>We've compiled several resources designed to help you learn more about open source. 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