Open+Source

 Overview
In the constantly evolving world of technology, we often hear the term "open source" thrown around by blogs and more serious news sources alike. We hear the term and, in some cases, use it without really knowing what it is. So...what is it? In a broad definition, open source means that the source materials of a final product are made available to those who wish to access it. This phrase can be applied to anything from beverages to pharmaceuticals. In terms of technology, the bare bones (code) of a program are easily accessible and available to anyone who wants it. In doing so, developers and those fluent in code and program writing are able to create add-ons and applications for these programs while also customizing it to do exactly what the user wants. The debate between open source and closed source has been magnified in recent years with the release of the Apple's iOS and Google's Android OS. Both of these operating systems are used on mobile devices and smart phones. The Android OS, seen and used mainly on smart phones like the Motorola Droid, is becoming as extremely popular and an increasingly attractive choice for handset manufacturers to use on their products. By making their operating system open source, Google easily creates the opportunity for application developers to create apps that are optimized for the phone and system. In addition, the Android developer kit is available for download free online. Apple, on the other hand, only releases their code to developers willing to pay $99 a year for a whole developer kit, a suite of essentially even more closed source programs tailored specifically to iOS.

Kristen Bousquet

**History**
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**Opinion**
I think open source is a fantastic idea. It's a way for people from all over to connect and converge upon a single idea. Often, this idea is to make a change for the better.

**Future Trends?**
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