Open source software is software developed by and for the user community. Discover the wide variety of open source applications, from productivity applications to calendaring or email software , and learn more about the benefits of personal use.
Open source projects provide tremendous opportunities for developers to share and learn through collaboration. Find colleagues for your project or join an existing effort. Contributions aren't limited to code, as projects need a diverse range of skills.
Driving innovation requires optimizing how a company creates, deploys & uses software assets. Find out how enterprises have realized the promise of open source: higher quality, greater reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in.
Whether serving as a foundation in support of an open source software project or harnessing open source infrastructure for day-to-day operations in support of any mission, learn how the open source ethos of contribution & community helps make life for NPO & NGO staffers easier.
Many of the world’s most successful open source projects have their roots in the academy. Participation extends beyond adoption and development, and now includes a wide variety of academic programs and research. Discover how your institution can benefit from open source software.
Governments around the globe recognize the value of open source as both a technology solution delivering value to the public they serve as well as an approach for development returning tax-payer investments back to the society they represent.
As a global non-profit, The Open Source Initiative (OSI) protects and promotes open source software, development and communities, championing software freedom in society through education, collaboration, and infrastructure, stewarding the Open Source Definition (OSD), and preventing abuse of the ideals and ethos inherent to the open source movement. See our about and history pages for more.
Open source software is software that can be freely used, changed, and shared (in modified or unmodified form) by anyone. Open source software is made by many people, and distributed under licenses that comply with the Open Source Definition.
OSI Affiliate Member, the California Association of Voting Officials (CAVO), has shared some exciting news regarding their advocacy work in San Francisco: according to the San Francisco Examiner, the city of San Francisco is pushing forward with plans to develop their open source election system.
As many may know, the OSI has been involved in supporting the adoption of an open source elections system in San Francisco, California. The following is an update from Chris Jerdonek, Elections Commissioner & President of the San Francisco Elections Commission.
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is pleased to announce our 2017 election and seeks your nominations for candidates to serve on the OSI Board of Directors. This year, 2017, three (3) Individual Members seats are open, and one (1) Affiliate Member seat.
“Not there yet...” that phrase actually highlights where we are with several important initiatives here at the OSI and even with open source software broadly.
First, and most pressing for us today, we’re not there yet in our fund raising goals for 2016, and we’re asking those working with open source software—those who not only understand the technical merits, but value open principles—to contribute and help fund our ongoing work.
