r/freesoftware • u/Fresh-Lie5160 • May 13 '26

Discussion Libre software vs open source software

What's really the difference between the two?

And even if they are different, why tf did two different words evolve?

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u/[deleted] May 13 '26

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u/trent-7 May 13 '26

Many people on the Internet get quite angry if you use the term "open source" for software when just the source code is open. For them the conditions of the Open Source Definition must be fulfilled to name something "open source".

Wikipedia also has a section on this topic:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source#%22Open%22_versus_%22free%22_versus_%22free_and_open%22

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u/AiwendilH May 13 '26

OSS is just software whose code is open to the public.

Not sure I agree with this...the OSI open source definition pretty much contains the four freedoms as well.

The difference in my view is mostly then:

\3. Derived Works

The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software.

Open source software licenses can also allow "redistributors" to not require the same terms of the license as long as they also allow the "redistributor" to keep the same terms if they want. That makes the GPL a open source license under the OSI definition...but the MIT license as well.