Open Source Software is not a new thing - it’s been about since the dawning of the computer age. Have a look at the Wikipedia entry to find out more.

Open Source means that the basic code for a program is available to everyone. If you want to play about with it and make the program better your welcome - just so long as you hand it back to the community.

Open Source Software is usually free, but as a programmer or developer you wish to use the software with client to develop their systems and improve them you are welcome to get what ever money you can for your work - but the software remains the property of everyone!

The Open Source community took off with Linux - the free operating system that has got Microsoft so scared. Linux is a very powerful and scalable operating system that can be used to run a digital watch or a super computer.

Virtually all of the internet is run on Linux and folks have just not noticed.

Some of the best and most useful open source software are

  * Open Office  - www.openoffice.org
  * Scribus   - www.scribus.net
  * GIMP    - www.gimp.org

You may want to also have a look a Linux - and the best flavour at the moment seems to be Ubuntu.

But then again if you are frightened and want a multi billion dollar corporation backing you for free, have a look at Suse - which is now owned and being developed by Nouvell.