The Thin Line Between Open Source and Free Software
May 11, 2008
Open source and free software are terms associated with Linux. Open source is often taken to be more or less in the same category as free software. In truth, they are not exactly the same class of software since open source can accept licenses that may be considered too restrictive by free software while there are also free software licenses that are not acceptable to open source.
The distinction can be very hard to see since nearly all free software is open source and vice versa. However, the term “free software” also refers to freedom in use which “open source” cannot claim to offer.
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