Open Source at Foothill-De Anza

Overview

Open source software refers to programs whose licenses allow users to; Freely access, install, and run the software for any purpose; Modify the original software; Redistribute copies of the original or modified programs; and Share modifications with the community. Open source refers to a development process, whereas public domain refers to the property rights in the distribution of material. The power of open source lies in how it harnesses the collective wisdom, experiences, expertise and requirements of users to ensure that their needs are rapidly met. There are many ways in which the district has been taking advantage of open source technology, as reviewed in this paper.