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Define the word open source

open source n. [common; also adj. `open-source'] Term coined in March
   1998 following the Mozilla release to describe software distributed in
   source under licenses guaranteeing anybody rights to freely use, modify,
   and redistribute, the code. The intent was to be able to sell the
   hackers' ways of doing software to industry and the mainstream by
   avoiding the negative connotations (to suits) of the term "free software". For discussion of the follow-on tactics and their
   consequences, see the Open Source Initiative (http://www.opensource.org)
   site.

open source
     
         A method and philosophy for software
        licensing and distribution designed to encourage use and
        improvement of software written by volunteers by ensuring that
        anyone can copy the source code and modify it freely.
     
        The term "open source" is now more widely used than the
        earlier term "free software" (promoted by the Free Software Foundation) but has broadly the same meaning - free of
        distribution restrictions, not necessarily free of charge.
     
        There are various open source licenses available.
        Programmers can choose an appropriate license to use when
        distributing their programs.
     
        The Open Source Initiative promotes the Open Source Definition.
     
        The Cathedral and the Bazaar (http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar.html).
        was a seminal paper describing the open source phenomenon.
     
        Open Sources - O'Reilly book with full text online (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/opensources/book/perens.html).
     
        Articles from ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/opensource/).
     
        (1999-12-29)