What is Open Source?

Open Source Software is a unique form of software that is especially useful for educators.

You may freely install Open Source Software on any computer and your students may legally install it on their home computers.

Open Source Software is free. Unlike commercial software, there are no expensive licensing fees for Open Source Software. If you have a large number of computers, this can save you thousands of dollars. It also allows your students to have the same software at home that they use at school.

The source code of Open Source Software is freely available and may be modified by anyone.

Before the software that you use can run, programmers must write the source code that defines the software. This source code is then linked and compiled into an executable file that runs on your computer. With Open Source, you can see the work that the programmers have done. If you are ambitious, it is even possible for you and your students to make useful modifications to the software and learn about computer programming by studying the code.

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