What does Open Source mean?
A common concern for end-users who wish to use open source software is the lack of a warranty and technical support. Because the software’s license encourages modification and customization, it is nearly impossible to support. This is why Red Hat Software, founded in 1994, created the “Official Red Hat Linux” and is able to sell this normally “free” software. The main value that Red Hat adds to the package is a warranty and technical support. For most businesses, the assurance of technical support has been a key factor in the decision to buy Linux instead of simply downloading it for free. In addition to Red Hat, there are several other companies that have packaged Linux, usually with additional software, for resale.
Most software that you buy or download only comes in the compiled ready-to-run version. Compiled means that the actual program code that the developer created, known as the source code , has run through a special program called a compiler that translates the source code into a form that the computer can understand (see How C Programming Works for details on compilers). It is extremely difficult to modify the compiled version of most applications and nearly impossible to see exactly how the developer created different parts of the program. Most commercial software manufacturers see this as an advantage that keeps other companies from copying their code and using it in a competing product. It also gives them control over the quality and features found in a particular product. Open source software is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The source code is included with the compiled version and modification or customization is actually encouraged. The software developers who support the op
Open Source means that the software sources are freely visible to everybody. Using and changing the sources for own purpose underlies a certain license. MaxDB is released under the Free Software/Open Source GNU General Public License (GPL). Open Source does not implicitly mean that the usage of the product is free. It could be for non-commercial use whereas you have to follow the GPL condition. For MaxDB, you can choose between a commercial license and an open source license. Check MySQL Licensing Policy for details.
