At a local Linux User Group (LUG) meeting, some people who are unfamiliar with Linux ask you to explain what the GPL is and how it relates to OSS. These people also don’t understand how OSS generates profit and are under the impression that the quality of OSS is poor compared to commercial software. They suggest that the potential for OSS in the future might be limited. How do you reply? Include examples to demonstrate your points. To which Web sites can you direct them for further information?

Explanation:

The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or GPL) is a widely used free software license that gives end users the freedom to share, run  the program as he/she pleases.

What exactly do OSS mean? OSS stands for Open Source Software . They are programs bundled with their source codes in the release.

  The GPL is designed to ensure that the source code of a program will always be available. It also requires that programmers who make changes to a GPL-licensed program and release that program publicly share the source code of their modifications.

Many OSS developers and projects do generate revenue. Some earn just enough money to survive while others produce so much money that they put proprietary alternatives to shame.

They generate revenue in the following ways:

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