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"Open-Source" "Open Source" "Sort of Open Source Code" "Open to Pay Code"

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By Steve Swettenham December 15, 2011 - 9:13am

Like the "Green Revolution", trendy words are only that.

Now that "Open Source" is trendy, it is being used in many contexts that are far from "open".

Recently I inquired into the availability of two "Open source" applications.  In the first sitation, the website clearly and boldly stated the existence of "Open Source" software.  In reality, the software was commercial but allowed the license holder to modify the source code.

In the second situation, a different website advertised "Open Source" software but nothing was visible for download.  I again inquired and the statement that came back was revealing of the situation on the Net:

"I am well aware that the above (software) does not match with the
term open source as it is widely used.  In fact the term should then be
code available software"

Perhaps the best word is the old one - FOSS - which is much harder to distort.