Supporting the Open Source Community - Yes, but how? [German] We come into contact with free software every day. Many of our smart phones use a Linux operating system. Some smart watches as well. When we drive our car, open source components are at work in the onboard system. In the server environment and in the cloud, open source operating systems such as Linux dominate. Free software is not only used in research and education, but also in business, healthcare and many other fields.
What exactly is open source software? In short, the term means that the source code of a computer program is publicly available for viewing and modification; moreover, open source software can usually be used free of charge. We are aware of two interpretations. The first is represented by the Free Software Foundation, which prefers to speak of "free software". It understands the concept more comprehensively and includes social aspects. In contrast, the Open Source Initiative limits its definition to properties of the source code