Got F.O.S.S.? (Free Open Source Software)
As Washoe County Library begins its journey finding ways to utilize Free and Open Source Software, many will ask, "What is open source?" and "What does F.O.S.S. (Free Open Source Software) mean?" Following is an abbreviated description of F.O.S.S. and why the Library is considering such a change.
What is F.O.S.S.?
The term F.O.S.S. describes a philosophy of software use and development that does not come with the restraints of proprietary restrictions, but is available for open evaluation and re-interpretation according to the current needs of an organization or individual.
F.O.S.S. allows an individual the freedom and right to use software licensed under an open source agreement. The individual may use the software as is or may make changes as needed. This use may or may not come with a cost depending on the developer's software philosophy, (whether he/she wants payment or donations for his/her work). Open source software can be used, studied and/or modified dependent upon the needs of the user and any modifications are still held to the open source guidelines and criteria.
In general, you will find more than enough free software to take care of your software needs. In those rare instances where you need something refined that fits a particular niche you may find a fee is required to use certain open source software. The beauty of open source software, whether fee-based or free, is that if you want to make modifications, you can!
Why the change?
The software we will be using is FREE and offers the freedom for development dependent upon our needs! Through the use of an open source operating system called Linux (and other complimentary open source software), more choices can be offered to our community. With open source applications, computer processes may be less intensive which extends the PC life-cycle and allows for less-frequent replacement. This translates into a sizeable savings not just for the Library but also for Washoe County. We know that the money saved can better serve our Library and community, at the same time enriching our community with a new way of computing.
As we continue this exciting journey please keep in mind that this development will move slowly over a few years. Our process will include ongoing training classes that will help to secure the comfort of both community and staff in dealing with our open source software developments.
OpenOffice is a text, computational, and presentation software package with similar functionality to Microsoft Office. OpenOffice includes software applications comparable to those offered by Microsoft Office software (with the exception of Publisher), as well as additional products.
Linux is an operating system (OS) much like Windows 2000, XP, Vista, or Windows 7, but free and licensed under an open source agreement, like OpenOffice. With upwards of 20,000 free software packages available for the operating system, Linux is able to meet most daily personal and business needs.
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