Author Login | Popular Articles | RSS Feeds | Sitemap

Home | Computers-and-technology


Linux Freely Available ?Linux Free ? Confused Enough ?

By: Maxwell Z. Rubin

Many new Linux users are confused by the terms bantered around â€" Free, Freely Available, Commercial Distributions and Shareware.

The confusion comes primarily from the description and terms â€oeFreely Available â€oeand â€oeFree’ and their distinctions.

Linux is open source software which means any software developer can add on to change the product’s basic source code. This is diametrically opposed to a strict proprietary concept such as Microsoft’s approach which is to own and have control the software and its code lock stock and barrel. There are some advantages to the proprietary approach particularly if you are dealing with a major mainstream product with millions and millions of users many of who are foolish novices; Life has enough problems without throwing in a monkey wrench to complicate efforts. Remember that if only 1/10 of 1 % of users think that if the computer throws out an error message commonly â€oe You have committed an illegal actions â€oe and run to lock their doors as the police are coming then that small percentage is a lot of people.

The confusion arises in that the source code and any changes made to it must be made â€oefreely available â€oe... Whiskey may be â€oefreely available â€oeat your local saloon but that does not make it free of cost to you as a customer. However in actuality much of the software available in the Linux world is given away at no charge or cost except with the proviso that changes and work done to source code must be made available to others without restriction.

Linux applications differ widely in cost and appearance. Many new Linux users are confused by the apparently contradictory terms used in Linux software product descriptions. These are â€oeFreely Available Software â€oe, â€oeShareware â€oeand â€oeCommercial Linux Applications”.

Freely available software is available for free use by the end user. Although software may be freely available, it is often not the same thing as â€oePublic Domain â€oesoftware. Public Domain Software is software that is freely given on the open market either by the permission of the software developer or by being older than copyright constraints , that you as a user can do anything you wish to in terms of use , redistribution or changes. However â€oeFreely Available Software â€oeis different in that it is often owned and copywriter by the owner, author (or authors) who then allow people to use and / or make modifications to it. The term â€oeFreely Available Software â€oe can be further divided into software that you can either â€oeFreely Copy” or â€oe Freely Distribute”. Some people make their software â€oeFreely Available â€oeonly if you copy or download it from a particular site or from a non commercial distribution. Other people will let you copy their software from anywhere. Copying restrictions usually apply to people making a commercial distribution, not to the end user of the distribution. The distribution maker has the responsibility to be in compliance with the package’s copying restrictions which are usually outlined in the program’s source code or about or Help sections.

A lot of freely available software can be obtained by downloads on the internet. Some can be bought in physical form from commercial retail outlets either online or at a physical location.

Many freely available applications have been converted from UNIX to OS/2, Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 and XP. And other operating systems... If you use an application that has been ported to many operating systems you will be able to carry your skills and data to alternate platforms if you wish to or have to change for one reason or another.

â€oeNonFree Applications â€oeconsist of commercial applications and shareware applications. Commercial applications are sold outright. Shareware programs may be tried out and evaluated then either not used, uninstalled or a license key purchased. Sometimes shareware programs may be used for free in a home environment but purchased if used within a business setting.

Hopefully now the distinctions between these terms bantered around in the Linux software distribution distro and downloads sites will be clearer to you now.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Max Rubin Ag Chemist Linux as well as vintage computing badgerlinux@yahoo.com http://www.vintagecomputermanuals.com http://www.badgerlinux.net

| Print | Ezine Ready | |

Recent Computers-and-Technology Articles

  • How to Access Facebook From School or at Work By: Gen Wright - For those of you who are not familiar with social networking, you may be wondering what Facebook is all about. But you must be living in cave if you haven't heard about Facebook. After all, out the the millions of website on the Internet, Facebook is among the top 5 websites in the entire world.
  • In-Home Computer Repair By: Joshep John - In-home computer troubleshooting is facilitated through hundreds of online support resources where you can gather enough knowledge to gain confidence to mend your own PC. Most problems deal with operating systems, software, various hardware elements and virus or spyware which are fixed by qualified technicians.
  • Share Files in an Easy and Secured Way By: Jeannie Eden - Internet had enabled various things that were not possible in the earlier times. Now-a-days any work can be done through it. There are certain important documents that need to be shared with other members of the office can also be done with the help of internet. Confidential files can also be sent in the secured way through internet.
  • Spy Gear for Nanny Cams and Hidden Cameras By: Chris Bowsers - Spy Gear for Nanny Cams and Hidden Cameras One of the main reasons for using a hidden camera or nanny cam is for the protection of your children. However there are many other reasons to check on a cheating spouse, to keep an eye on your teenage children or to just watch out for the security and safety of your home.
  • High-End Video Card Options By: Gen Wright - Computer enthusiasts are mostly familiar with video cards that are manufactured for leisure purposes such as gaming or watching movies. That is because many technology websites tend to focus on news for a wider audience. Therefore, it is rare to come across a piece of news that is specifically written for professionals such as designers, architects, and engineers.
  • High Powered Gaming Moves to Notebook PCs By: Gen Wright - PC games that are resource intensive have been restricted to desktop systems until recently as portable devices were still not powerful enough to allow the games to run smoothly. Usually, these are 3D games that require a lot of CPU and graphics processing power. Even high-end laptops have been unable to meet such demands the same way as their desktop counterparts.
  • The Basics of Improving PC Performance By: Jonathon Blocker - Like any machine, computers need occasional tweaking to improve their performance and keep them running smoothly. When it comes to pc performance, there are many factors that cause problems. The issue is far more than what is needed to speed up pc operation, instead it’s important to address what is needed to correct issues and actually optimize pc performance.
  • Title Tags - The Key To SEO Success By: Carl Davidson - One of the most important factors in website optimization is your title tag. This is written in the HTML code for your page in the "head" section. Many companies make the mistake of simply using their company name on every page of their site.
  • Buying Tips for Desktop PC By: switch2life - WANT TO BUY A COMPUTER? Having computer today is absolutely a necessity today for your office. Now a days computer allows you to operate your business from sitting at home. Thus saving your time spent in travel as well stress you go through. Or if you have kids then it becomes so much more important to buy a computer for you home.
  • New Jersey Computer Repair, Ready To Help 24/7 By: Isabelle Lucas - When you have a computer that is running very slow, making odd noises, or just doesn’t operate as desired, who do you call? You dial a pc service which has expertise on computer repair.

Search Ebay

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!


Submit Your link to the Open Link Directory Project

Copyright 2005-2008 MJE Sales, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Proud member of the ArticleCkr Search Network Search Network!
ArticleSnatch.com is free for both publishers and authors to use and is supported entirely from advertising revenue.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.