Open source technology, otherwise known as OSS, is computer software available in source code form. The source code and certain other rights are normally reserved for copyright holders and are provided under some sort of software license, but in this case the software license usually permits the user to study, change, and even improve the software. The key thing to remember about utilizing open source technology like Open Office, is to pay close attention to the stipulations of the software license agreement; make sure you do not overstep the boundaries laid out there.
OSS is generally developed to be helpful to the general public. You will almost always find it linked to the open-source development community. It is sometimes compared to user-generated content or open content movements. The main reason OSS is utilized by organizations is for financial savings. According to the Standish Group, open-source software results in a billions of dollars per year in savings to consumers. A good example is GNU Cash, an accounting program that is much like Quick books but is free open source software for anybody to use.
The free software movement that led to the creation of OSS was launched in 1983. A group of people advocated that the term “free software” should be changed to “open source software (OSS).” The idea behind the change was that OSS was less ambiguous and more comfortable for the corporate world. The software license was designed to protect any piece of the source code that needed to stay the property of the developer.
OSS opened up the ability for any developer to take a piece of an idea, as in the mind mapping software of Freemind, modify it, share their modifications, and then move their changes to their own program for implementation or marketing. In short, OSS opened the way for brilliant people all over the world to make something useful and marketable, and share those results with those who would gain the most benefit from it. By using open source software, businesses also help support the OSS development community.