Links related to Free and Open Source Software

Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation (FSF), established in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' rights to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free software, particularly the GNU operating system, used widely in its GNU/Linux variant.

The GNU Project

The GNU Project was launched in 1984 to develop a complete UNIX-like operating system which is free software: the GNU system. Variants of the GNU operating system, which use the kernel called Linux, are now widely used; though these systems are often referred to as “Linux”, they are more accurately called GNU/Linux systems.

Open Source Initiative

The Open Source Initiative (OSI), a California public benefit corporation, was founded in 1998. The OSI are the stewards of the Open Source Definition (OSD) and the community-recognized body for reviewing and approving licenses as OSD-conformant. An annotated list of prerequisites of Open Source software is available here.

Software Freedom Law Center

The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) provides legal representation and other law-related services to protect and advance Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Founded in 2005, the Center now represents many of the most important and well-established free software and open source projects. The SFLC has released an important document ("Practical Guide to GPL Compliance") that contains guidelines how to cope with the various obligations that must be followed when Open Source software is passed on.

The gpl-violations.org project

The gpl-violations.org project tries to raise public awareness about past and present infringing use(r)s of GPL licensed software.

Groklaw

Pamela Jones, who is describing herself as a journalist with a paralegal background, started the Groklaw blog on May 16, 2003. Its main purpose is to provide in-depth information on the litigation of The SCO Group vs. IBM and related lawsuits. Recently, the implications of software patents are also covered. Pamela is impressing her readers, because she is able to explain complex legal issues in simple terms and because she is always doing a thorough and careful research before ever putting anything on the web.