Open Source Technology and Policy

The open source movement is a worldwide effort to promote an open style of software development more aligned with the accepted intellectual style of science than the proprietary modes of invention that have been characteristic of modern business. The idea is to keep the scientific advances created by software development openly available for everyone to use, understand, and improve. The very process of open source creation is highly transparent. This book addresses prominent projects in the open source movement, along with its enabling technologies, social characteristics, legal issues, business venues, and public and educational roles.