- The real beauty of open source software isn’t that it’s free; it’s that it’s free to change. Wired

Introduction

At the P2P Foundation, we support open, free and libre software because we support the sharing and mutualization of knowledge, but at the same time, we critique some of the limitations of 'mere sharing', as it can be used to exploit the work of free software developers; and this becomes especially critical when we want to share design knowledge for new models of cooperative and distributed production (what we call the Cosmo-Localization of production.

We therefore support licenses that protect knowledge sharing but also couple this with demands for reciprocity for those that aim to realize profits from shared work. This explains our support for Copyfair licenses.

Quotes

"Why is it a problem that the concepts of free software and open source are intrinsically tied to licenses? It’s that the aims and goals of both of these movements are about distribution and therefore consumption, but what people care about most today is about the production of software. Software licences regulate distribution, but cannot regulate production. (technically they can, but practically, they can’t. I get into this below.) This is also the main challenge of whatever comes after open source; they cannot rely on the legal tactics of the last generation. I don’t have solutions here."

- Steve Blatnik [1]

Directory of Links

Introduction to Free Software

• Open Source Open World Infographic

1. Free Software
2. Free Software Principles
3. Free Software Directories
4. Why Free Software is Better than Open Source
5. Why Software Should Be Free

More on Free Software

Organisations/Movements

1. Free Software Foundation
2. Richard Stallman on Free Software

Material by Topic

The Economics of Free Software

1. The Anti-rivalness of Free Software
2. Free Software Business Models
3. Free Software and Free Hardware Design
4. Free Software and the Local Economy
5. Free Software for Development
6. Krowne's Laws of Free Software Production
7. Problems and Strategies in Financing Voluntary Free Software Projects

The Politics of Free Software

1. Free Software and Marxism ; Marxism and Free Software

Free Software in Specialized Domains

1. Free Software for Primary Schools
2. Free Software in the Public Sector - WOS 2004
3. Free and Open Source Video Software
4. Reproducible Science Needs Open Source Software: Editorial from Nature magazine, By Kyle Niemeyer

Introduction to Libre Software

1. Declaration on Libre Knowledge
2. Libre
3. Libre Commons
4. Libre Commons Licenses
5. Libre Communities
6. Libre Knowledge
7. Libre Society
8. Libre Standard

More on Libre Software

Organisations/Movements

1. European Working Group on Libre Software

Material by Topic

The Politics of Libre Software

1. Politics of the Libre Commons

Libre Software in Specialized Domains

1. Libre Game Wiki
2. Libre Graphics
3. Libre Multimedia Tools
4. Libre Network Service
5. Libre Resources
6. Libre Software Engineering

Introduction to FOSS/FLOSS Software

(first column only)

1. FLOSS
2. FLOSS - Governance ; FOSS Governance Fundamentals]]
3. FLOSS Commons ; FLOSS as Commons]]
4. FOSS
5. Foss Licensing Primer

More on FOSS/FLOSS Software

Organizations/Movements

1. FLOSS Foundations
2. FOSS Bazaar
3. FOSS Organizations Directory
4. Tim O'Reilly on from FOSS to an Open Data Movement

Material by Topic

The Economics of FOSS/FLOSS Software

1. FLOSS POLS
2. Job Design in FOSS ; Motivation in FOSS Software Developers
3. Quality Assessment of FOSS

The Politics and Governance of FOSS/FLOSS Software

1. Three Levels of FOSS Governance
2. Tragedy of the FOSS Commons

FOSS/FLOSS in Specialized Domains

1. FLOSS Art ; Glossary for Beginners in FOSS Art
2. FLOSS Cloud Computing Platforms
3. FLOSS Manuals ; Andy Oram on the FLOSS Manuals Project
4. FOSS - Open Content
5. FOSS Codecs for Online Video
6. FOSS Learning Centre
7. Humanitarian FOSS Project

Introduction to Open Source Software

• Open Source
• Open Source Software
• Open Sourcing
• Open Sources 2.0
• Open Source 4.0
• Open Source Licenses
• Open Source Licensing
• Open Source as Social Process

More on Open Source Software

Organizations/Movements in Open Source

1. Open Source Academy
2. Open Source Advisory Service
3. Open Source Consortium - UK
4. Open Source Cooperative ; Open Source Hackers Cooperative
5. Open Source Developers Club ; Open Source Development Labs
6. Open Source Initiative
7. Open Source Lab
8. Open Source Labor Board
9. Open Source Observatory and Repository for European Public Administrations
10. Open Source Wireless Coalition

Material by Topic

The Economics of Open Source

1. Open Source Commercialization
2. Open Source Commoditization
3. Open Source Company ; Open Source Company Policies
4. Open Source Development Model ;Open Source Methodologies
5. Open Source Economics
6. Open Source Ecosystem
7. Open Source Service Companies
8. Open Source Software Distribution Initiative
9. Open Source Software Service Model
10. Open Source Venture

The Politics and Governance of Open Source

1. Open Source Government

Open Source Software in Specialized Domains

• Reproducible Science Needs Open Source Software: Editorial from Nature magazine, By Kyle Niemeyer

1. Open Source 3D Content Creation
2. Open Source 3D Human Character Making
3. Open Source CRM
4. Open Source Calendars
5. Open Source Content and Document Management
6. Open Source Data Mining
7. Open Source Digital Patterns Making
8. Open Source GIS ; Open Source GIS Software
9. Open Source Groupware
10. Open Source Ideas
11. Open Source Identity Projects
12. Open Source Information System
13. Open Source Jukebox Firmware
14. Open Source Learning Management System
15. Open Source Mesh ; Open Source Mesh Firmware
16. Open Source Metaverse ; Open Source Virtual Worlds
17. Open Source Microblogging
18. Open Source Mobile Operating Platforms
19. Open Source Network Analysis
20. Open Source Network Services
21. Open Source Project Management ; Open Source Project Management Tools
22. Open Source Real-Time Operating System for Embedded Applications
23. Open Source SMS Gateway
24. Open Source Site Tour Creator
25. Open Source Social Bookmarking
26. Open Source Social Networking
27. Open Source Streaming Alliance
28. Open Source VOIP Software
29. Open Source Weather Monitoring
30. Open Source Web Analytics ; Open Source Web Application Framework
31. Open Source Web Conference Tools ; Open Source Web Conferencing
32. Open Source Web-based Learning Content Management System

Free, Open, Open Source, Hardware and Design

Following the use of the phrase "Open Source" for software, it was adapted for use with hardware. Where for software the source code is freely licenced, for hardware plans, specifications, methods and similar information may be similarly licenced.

See the page Free, Open, Open Source, Hardware and Design for a list of relevant pages on this wiki.

Open Source World: Beyond Free and Open Source Software

Many other areas have taken on the phrase "Open Source", adapting its original use for software to other domains.

Please see our page Open Source World for a listing of these.