So what are Open Source softwares? They are not just free, but you can even get its source code for free. And then modify it to your heart's content. Open Source softwares are generally released under Open Source licenses, such as the GNU GPL. Open Source licenses don't restrict to freely distribute, use and modify the software.
So that is just a brief introduction. Next question is, why should you prefer it?
First of all, generally, it is absolutely free. No restriction on its use and you can distribute its copies freely. You can tweak and customize it according to your wish. Open Source softwares are generally made by community based projects, which ensures that the bugs are quickly fixed and new features are added.
So I should give some examples of FOSS(Free and Open Source Software).
The world famous Firefox is based on the Open Source Mozilla project. And VLC Media Player, which is the most preferred media player is also Open Source. Not to mention, the Open Source Linux operating systems are most powerful os and preferred for servers and super computers. Now a days Linux is also becoming popular as a desktop OS. You can try Ubuntu and LinuxMint, which are becoming more popular.
If you don't know, India has its own Linux Operating System BOSS(Bharat Operating System Solutions) which is based on Debian Linux. Recently, a Indian browser based on mozilla has been released, named Epic Browser.
There are thousands and thousands of projects. They are absolutely free and you can also get involved in it if you want.
So where can you get Open Source softwares? sourceforge.net is probably the largest hosting site which hosts thousands of Open Source projects. It gives project admins to easily manage their project. It even allows you to host your website on it. You can find lots of softwares categorized for different platforms and according to their utility.
The Open Source revolution is spreading all over the world. Won't you follow?
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