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LSDefine
Simple English definitions for legal terms
open-source software
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A quick definition of open-source software:
Open-source software is a type of computer program that is free to use and share. It is different from other software because it allows people to see and change the code that makes it work. This means that anyone can make improvements to the software and share those improvements with others. Even though it is free, it is still protected by law.
A more thorough explanation:
Open-source software is a type of software that is usually not sold for profit. It includes both human-readable source code and machine-readable object code, and allows users to freely copy, modify, or distribute the software.
For example, the web browser Mozilla Firefox is an open-source software. This means that anyone can access its source code, modify it, and distribute it without any restrictions. Another example is the operating system Linux, which is also open-source and freely available for anyone to use and modify.
Even though open-source software is made widely available for free, it may still be protected by federal trademark law. This means that certain names and logos associated with the software may be protected and cannot be used without permission.