The Power of Open Source Technology in Modern Computing Systems

Open source technology has become the backbone of modern computing systems, from supercomputers to globally scalable infrastructures.  Even proprietary giants like Oracle,  Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, and Google, are built on open source technology. We will implement for you an infrastructure that you own, you scale, at a fraction of the cost.  


Licenses can be broadly classified into four categories:


1. BSD, MIT, Apache, and Public Domain licenses - These are the most liberal and "clean" licenses that allow you to use, modify, and distribute the software freely.

2. GPL and AGPL - These licenses are restricted "open source" and can restrict usage and modification of the software.

3. Mozilla, Academic, Trialware and other mix between proprietary and open source.

4. Proprietary - Closed source software that requires permission to use and modify.


When deploying a fully scalable, unencumbered infrastructure, it is essential to choose open source software that is, as much as possible, licensed under BSD, MIT, Apache, or Public Domain. These licenses offer the most flexibility and freedom to use, modify, and distribute the software as needed.


However, there are many more shades of gray licenses, such as Academic and made-up licenses, that require careful attention and analysis before selection. Additionally, aspects like scalability, stability, security updates, community dynamics, pace of updates and upgrades, internationalization, and so on should be considered when choosing open source software.


The benefits of deploying open source solutions over proprietary ones are numerous:


1. Cost-effective - Open source software is often free or low-cost, reducing the overall cost of the project.

2. Customizable - Open source software can be modified and customized to meet specific requirements and use cases.

3. Scalable - Open source technology can scale horizontally and vertically as needed, without vendor lock-in or restrictions.

4. Secure - Open source software is often more secure than proprietary solutions due to the transparency of the code and the community-driven development process.

5. Community-driven - Open source technology has a large and active community of developers, users, and maintainers, providing a wealth of knowledge, resources, and support. Millions of developers and IT people work around the clock, around the globe on this systems. This make them robust, scalable and secure.


In conclusion, when deploying modern computing systems, it is crucial to consider open source technology as the foundation for scalability, cost-effectiveness, customizability, security, and community-driven development. By choosing, as much as possible,  BSD, MIT, Apache, and Public Domain licensed software, organizations can ensure maximum freedom and flexibility in their infrastructure deployment.

Enter in a new world of BSD and MIT License:

The Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) licenses are widely used in open source software projects. There are several , but the most common ones are:

  1. BSD License - This license allows users to use, modify, and distribute the software freely, as long as the original author's copyright and license notice are included.
  2. MIT License - This license is similar to the BSD License, but it also includes a patent license that grants users permission to make, use, sell, and offer the software without fear of patent infringement.
  3. Apache License - This license is more restrictive than the BSD License, as it requires any derivative works to be licensed under the same terms.

Implementations:

  1. FreeBSD - Netflix's tens of thousands of servers run on FreeBSD, an operating system that is true Unix structure. FreeBSD code and libraries were used to build MacOS, and Sony playstations run on a modified FreeBSD.
  2. OpenBSD - This is a security-focused branch of FreeBSD, which has been audited and hardened to be more secure than the standard FreeBSD distribution.
  3. Plenty of Artificial Intelligence Large Language Models such as Falcon or Mistral are MIT Licensed


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Understanding the Different Types of GPL Licenses and Their Applications

The General Public License (GPL) is one of the most widely used open source licenses. It is a powerful license that ensures that software released under it remains free and open source, even if the code is modified or redistributed. There are several types of GPL licenses, each with its own features and applications. In this article, we will explore the different types of GPL licenses and their examples in operating systems and applications.

Types of GPL Licenses:

  1. GPL-1 - This is the original GPL license, which ensures that any software released under it remains free and open source. It requires that derivative works be licensed under the same terms as the original work.
  2. GPL-2 - This is a newer version of the GPL license, which adds new features such as compatibility with the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). It also includes provisions for patent protection and anti-circumvention measures.
  3. AGPL-3 - The Affero General Public License (AGPL) is a variant of the GPL license that is specifically designed for networked services. It requires that any modifications or redistributions of the software be made available to all users of the service.
  4. LGPL-2 - The GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) is a variant of the GPL license that is designed for libraries and other auxiliary software. It allows developers to use and modify the library freely, as long as they do not combine it with other software to create a derivative work.

Examples of Operating Systems:

  1. GNU/Linux - Many popular Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian are licensed under the GPL license. These distributions include the Linux kernel and a variety of userland applications.
  2. Android - The Android operating system is also licensed under the GPL license, with additional permissions for the use of certain software components.

Examples of Applications:

  1. Firefox - The popular web browser Firefox is licensed under the Mozilla Public License (MPL), which is based on the GPL license. This allows developers to modify and redistribute the software freely, as long as they include the original author's copyright and license notice.
  2. LibreOffice - This popular office suite is licensed under the LGPL license, allowing developers to use and modify the software freely, as long as they do not combine it with other software to create a derivative work.
  3. Git - The popular version control system Git is licensed under the GPL license, ensuring that the software remains free and open source.

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