Open Source — Is it Free?
“Open source” has come a long way and with the new administration adopting the open source content management system Drupal to power the recovery.gov Web site, open source’s visibility will likely get another big boost. Speaking from the standpoint of a developer, the number of tools, utilities and programs available under open source licensing continues to be very exciting. But it is also true that confusions still persist about what it is and, in particular, about its costs. “Open source” and “free” are not synonymous — though there is a relationship between the two terms.
As with any engineering product, using software requires more than just having access to the application. To take a more concrete example, let’s consider the task of building a bridge over a stream — it involves more than just having a crew pull up to the river and start building. The environmental impact, the needs and concerns of the surrounding community, how to make a connection to the electric grid and even connecting to the existing roads are all factors that need to be taken into account. And that all occurs before the bridge is built. Once construction is done, it requires ongoing maintenance, inspection, repairs and a means of controlling the traffic on it.
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