] Since everybody has access to source code, many routines have not only been used but dramatically improved by other programmers | Anyone who wishes to do so may distribute, modify or even create derivative works based on that source code! "The emergence of a new commercial actor: Community managed software projects" |
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the term "free" is very ambiguous | Open source doesn't just mean access to the source code |
Public-domain software is written by microcomputer hobbyists also known as "hackers" many of whom are professional programmers in their work life | Open source software differers from other software because it has a less restrictive license agreement: Instead of using a restrictive license that prevents you from modifying the program or sharing it with friends for example, sharing and modifying open source software is encouraged |
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Open Source: A Multidisciplinary Approach |