Open Source Software

University of Iowa

Open Source software, often used in the acronym of Free Open Source Software (FOSS) is typically software that can be freely used, studying, or modified without restriction because the human readable source code is available to the public under a free software license. Examples of software programs that can be used this freely are The GIMP, Firefox, OpenOffice, and OpenSolaris. They can be freely distributed (given away), changed, compiled, or used by anyone. The usual rule is, though, that you must publish whatever changes you implement, and make them free, if you are ever to try to sell them. (Note: I do not give legal advice, and this is not legal advice.)

The University of Iowa could benefit greatly from the implementation and utilization of Open Source throughout campus. One example is the University's use of Microsoft Office. Instead of MS Office, the University could utilize OpenOffice.org, a free Office Suite with comperable features and a better philosophy. Open Source builds communities, and the software is free, as in free beer. You'll never pay an upgrade fee to get the latest version in five years - it will always be as free as when you first got it. OpenOffice can also be easily run on Linux, OpenSolaris, or Mac, so that users can enjoy the same (free) interface from whatever environment they're using. Did I mention built in PDF creation support, small file sizes, and an easier to use interface?

I, Ryan Kopf, Sun Campus Ambassador for the University of Iowa am an excellent contact for people interested in learning more about, or obtaining, free and/or open source software. With the University of Iowa Open Source Meetup, you can find workshops, demonstrations, discussions, tutorials, access to discounted certification, and more at the University of Iowa.

Download Open Source

Design: GIMP (image editing)
Internet: Firefox (web browser) | Thunderbird (email) | FileZilla (FTP)
Games: Battle for Wesnoth, Enigma, Neverball

More Free University of Iowa Software.