For example, Windows 8’s new interface disappointed many long-time desktop Windows users. You don’t have to worry about licensing and how many instances of Linux you’re allowed to run.Īn open-source program is also more flexible.

if you’re setting up a virtualized cluster of servers, you can easily duplicate a single Ubuntu server. This can be particularly useful servers - if you’re setting up a server, you can just install Linux on it. The example of Ubuntu Linux above makes that clear - unlike Windows, you can install or distribute as many copies of Ubuntu as you want, with no restrictions. The most obvious benefit of open-source software is that it can be had for free. This isn’t all dry, unimportant stuff that only matters to developers. Open-source licenses all allow you to do this, while closed-source licenses place restrictions on you. If you were particularly motivated, you could download the source code for a program in Ubuntu and modify it, creating your own customized version of that program - or of Ubuntu itself. You can create remixes of the Ubuntu installation disc and distribute them. You can install Ubuntu on an unlimited amount of your computers. You can download Ubuntu, create as many copies as you want, and give them to your friends. The OSI has a more detailed definition of “open source” on its website.įor example, Ubuntu Linux is an open-source operating system. Anyone can use the program for any purpose there are no licensing fees or other restrictions on the software. The users also have the ability to distribute as many copies of the original program as they want. Its users - and anyone else - have the ability to take this source code, modify it, and distribute their own versions of the program. If a program is open-source, its source code is freely available to its users.

Open office fedora