Skip to content
Merged
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
39 changes: 22 additions & 17 deletions data/topics/foss.mdx
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -14,27 +14,32 @@ aliases:
]
---

FOSS stands for free and open-source software. FLOSS means the same thing, with the extra "libre" included to stress freedom rather than price. In both cases, the source code is available and the license gives users the right to inspect, use, modify, and share it.
FOSS stands for free and open-source software. FLOSS means the same thing, with
the extra "libre" included to stress freedom rather than price. In both cases,
the source code is available and the license gives users the right to inspect,
use, modify, and share it.

At OpenSats, this is the baseline for the work we fund. Software should be released under a free and open-source license, and the work should be produced in the open so other people can study it, build on it, and verify progress. That applies to software, tools, research, and educational material across Bitcoin, Nostr, and related freedom tech.
At OpenSats, this is the baseline for the work we fund. Software should be
released under a free and open-source license, and the work should be produced
in the open so other people can study it, build on it, and verify progress. That
applies to software, tools, research, and educational material across Bitcoin,
Nostr, and related freedom tech.

People sometimes use "open-source" as shorthand for the same idea, though different communities emphasize different parts of the tradition. The Free Software movement centers user freedom. The Open Source movement centers collaborative development and practical adoption. OpenSats uses the broader umbrella term because both matter here: the work should be public, reusable, and permissionless to build on.
People sometimes use "open-source" as shorthand for the same idea, though
different communities emphasize different parts of the tradition. The Free
Software movement centers on user freedom. The Open Source movement centers
on collaborative development and practical adoption. OpenSats uses the broader
umbrella term because both matter here: the work should be public, reusable, and
permissionless to build on.

Satoshi Nakamoto made the Bitcoin-specific case clearly in 2009. Open code lets users verify security claims for themselves instead of outsourcing that trust:
Satoshi Nakamoto made the Bitcoin-specific case clearly in 2009. Open code lets
users verify security claims for themselves instead of outsourcing that trust:

<blockquote>
<p>
Being open source means anyone can independently review the code. If it was
closed source, nobody could verify the security. I think it's essential for
a program of this nature to be open source.
</p>
<cite>
- Satoshi Nakamoto,{' '}
<a href="https://satoshi.nakamotoinstitute.org/quotes/trusted-third-parties/">
Re: Questions about Bitcoin
</a>
</cite>
</blockquote>
>Being open source means anyone can independently review the code. If it was
>closed source, nobody could verify the security. I think it's essential for
>a program of this nature to be open source.
>
><cite>—[Satoshi Nakamoto](https://satoshi.nakamotoinstitute.org/quotes/trusted-third-parties)</cite>
Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Good catch!


## References

Expand Down
Loading