Open Source Software
"Open Source Software" describes computer programs which are circulated under a so-called "open source license". In this context "Open Source" not only means the free access to the source code, but also the inclusion of other criteria, under which open source software may be divulged. Only if the computer programs and their licenses respectively, under which the computer programs may be distributed, comply with the criteria set up by the Open Source Initiative, Inc. ("OSI") in their ("Open Source Definition") the OSI includes such license in their overview and thereby approves the conformity of said license with the "Open Source Definition". The OSI describes its "License Approval Procedure" in detail. Up to today the OSI has approved approximately 60 open source licenses as complying with their given definition.
Among other issues open source softeware ("OSS") licenses basically allow the free redistribution and copying of the software, the free access to the source code and the modification as well as derived works. The free access to the source code is technically necessary for the further development of the software. The mentioned liberties concerning the use of the software contained in the license are legal premises for the possibility of further development of such software.
In practice OSS licenses are distinguished according to the criteria "Copyleft/Non-copyleft" as well as whether they are GPL-compatible or GPL-incompatible (see: License Categories).
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The content on our web sites is protected by intellectual property rights (in particular copyright). Third-party content is marked as such. The content of our web sites must not be copied, disseminated, amended, made accessible to third parties ot used in any other way without explicit written consent of Rentsch Partner Ltd., except where such use is explicitely permitted by the applicable law. Downloads, print-outs and copies of the content on our web site are allowed for private, non-commercial use only. The logo of Rentsch Partner Ltd. is a registered trade mark. The content of our web sites have been compiled with accuracy. Nevertheless, Rentsch Partner Ltd. can not assume any guarantee regarding the correctness, completness or quality of the provided information.
