less_retarded_wiki/foss.md
2024-03-16 19:49:26 +01:00

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FOSS

FOSS (Free and Open Source Software, sometimes also FLOSS, adding Libre), is a kind of neutral term for software that is both free as in freedom and open source. It's just another term for this kind of software, as if there weren't enough of them :) People normally use this to stay neutral, to appeal to both free and open source camps or if they simply need a short term not requiring much typing. It's maybe also a little more vague acronym as in "I don't care, it has some kinda freeish license" and so it's possibly also a good label for a lot of "modern" software which can rarely be called a purely free software anymore -- most new projects are some sort of bloated bastard child of originally a free software project and some corporation's openwashing rapeware, so we just call it "FOSS".