曾经有一段时间，如果您想为您的计算机提供一款高质量的软件，您必须掏出钱包并为此付费。微软产品曾经是——现在仍然是——一个典型的例子。
但随后开源运动(source movement)开始兴起，突然间，我们受到了优质产品的欢迎。价格？绝对没有。
你不只是喜欢互联网(Don)吗(Internet)？
但什么是开源？(But What Is Open Source?)
有两种形式的软件——开源和封闭（专有）源代码。了解差异很重要。
开源(Open source)是指源代码(source code)（运行软件的代码）可以免费供任何人检查。您可以查看功能如何工作，克隆您自己的该软件版本并将它们也作为开源发布（这意味着您不会从中获利）。开源项目总是免费的。这就是重点。
另一方面，闭源（专有）软件，顾名思义，是完全封闭的。这些公司不希望你看到
源代码(source code)，因为他们依靠源代码(source code)从他们的产品中获利。
例如，您永远不会看到 Microsoft 或 Apple 产品的源代码(source code)。这不符合他们的最佳商业利益。您可以在Microsoft 或 Apple(Microsoft or Apple)操作系统上运行开源产品，但在Windows 或 macOS(Windows or macOS)的后台检查其代码？是的，祝你好运。
以下是我认为最大和最好的开源项目。显然“最大和最好”是非常主观的，所以也许你不同意我的观点？如果是这样，请告诉我。
Linux可能是现存最大、最知名和最受欢迎的开源项目(source project)。自 1991 年开始以来，现在很容易有几百个活跃的 Linux 操作系统“发行版”(easily a couple hundred active Linux operating system “distros” )（发行版的缩写）。这包括我最近介绍的 Tails 系统(the Tails system)，以及Ubuntu、Linux Mint和Debian等备受瞩目的系统。
Linux对那些因不得不为昂贵的操作系统付费而感到厌烦的人或对Windows怀有仇恨的人来说很有吸引力。
(Linux)大多数主要软件应用程序(software apps)都支持Linux ，但它的缺点是安装这些应用程序不像在Windows 或 macOS(Windows or macOS)上那样简单。需要一定的技术能力。
火狐浏览器(Mozilla Firefox)(Mozilla Firefox)
我毫不掩饰我对Google Chrome的喜爱，但我仍然对Mozilla Firefox心存感激。Firefox比Chrome存在的时间更长，而Firefox是开始摧毁微软浏览器垄断地位的人。
尽管没有多少人知道Firefox(Firefox)是开源的，而且它的所有者Mozilla是一个非营利基金会，但我感到很惊讶。您可以自由检查代码，自愿帮助开发浏览器，甚至可以根据Firefox 代码(Firefox code)制作自己的浏览器。三个例子是WaterFox、PaleMoon和Tor 浏览器(the Tor Browser)。
自由办公室(LibreOffice)(LibreOffice)
如果有理由不再为Microsoft Office付费
，那么LibreOffice就是它了。当您看到像LibreOffice和Google Suite这样的免费替代品时，即使为(Google Suite)Office 365付费也是毫无意义的。
LibreOffice是一个文字处理套件(word processing suite)，其中包括文本文档、电子表格、数据库和“演示文稿”（他们的
Powerpoint版本）。虽然LibreOffice有自己的文件格式(file format)，但完全支持其他文件格式(file format)，例如Microsoft文件，并且有一个漂亮的一键
PDF 生成(PDF generation)按钮。
记事通(KeePass)(KeePass)
不久前，我写了一篇关于我对KeePass的热爱的文章，尽管更出色的竞争对手试图引起我的注意，但我对KeePass的喜爱从未减弱。当然，KeePass有点简单(bit plain)实用。但有时这就是你所需要的。
除了存储您的密码外，它还有一个非常易于使用的密码生成器(password generator)。当您接受它为您提供的密码时，它会自动预先填写KeePass字段，因此您需要做的就是“保存”。
由于KeePass也有便携式版本，因此很容易将密码数据库文件(password database file)粘贴到云存储中并在计算机之间同步。
与Linux一起，这可能是开源项目的另一个最著名的例子。惊人的 6000 万个网站使用它来支持(power everything)从在线商店到投资组合再到博客的所有内容（以及介于两者之间的更多用途）。
就这么说吧，如果明天WordPress决定停止开发，很多网站都会出现严重的问题。
为了扩展其可用性，WordPress严重依赖其庞大的插件(plugins)和主题(themes)库。其中大多数是免费的，但也有很多高级选项。
铬(Chromium)(Chromium)
我之前提到过Mozilla Firefox是最好的开源浏览器，但Google也一直在开发自己的轻量级开源产品。
不要与Google Chrome混淆，Chromium是 Google 的开源浏览器。Google Chrome的大部分代码都基于Chromium，但
Chromium本身也是一个浏览器。
许多其他浏览器开发人员将Chromium 代码(Chromium code)用于他们自己的浏览器。这包括Amazon Silk 和 Opera(Amazon Silk and Opera)。从今年开始，Microsoft Edge
还将把Chromium整合到他们的浏览器中。
加密货币(Cryptocurrency)
最后，加密货币。是的，即使那是开源的，因为任何人都可以使用现有的加密货币，研究代码并制作新的加密货币。例如，如果我愿意并具备开发技能，我可以使用比特币(Bitcoin)并使用代码制作ONeillCoin 。
但这是针对另一篇文章和知道他们在说什么的人的。
The Best Open Source Software You Should Be Using
There was a time when, if you wаnted a qυality piece of
software for your computer, you had to get your wallet out and pay for it.
Microsoft products were – and still are – a prime example of this.
But then the open source movement picked up steam and suddenly
we were treated to outstanding quality products. The price? Absolutely nothing.
Don’t you just love the Internet?
But What Is Open Source?
There are two forms of software – open source and closed
(proprietary) source. It’s important to understand the difference.
Open source is when the source code (the code that runs the
software) is freely available for anyone to inspect. You can see how features
work, clone your own versions of that software and release them as open-source
too (meaning you don’t make a profit on it). Open-source projects are always
free. That is the whole point.
On the other hand, closed source (proprietary) software is,
as the name says, completely closed. The companies don’t want you to see the
source code because they rely on the source code to make a profit with their
products.
For example, you will never see the source code for Microsoft
or Apple products. It’s just not in their best business interests. You can run
open source products on Microsoft or Apple operating systems but getting under
the hood of Windows or macOS to inspect their code? Yeah good luck with that.
Below are what I feel are the biggest and best open source
projects around. Obviously “biggest and best” is very subjective so maybe you
disagree with me? If so, please do let me know.
Linux is probably the biggest, most well-known, and most popular open source project in existence. Since it began in 1991, there is now easily a couple hundred active Linux operating system “distros” (short for distributions). This includes the Tails system, which I recently profiled, and high-profile ones such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Debian.
Linux is attractive to people who are turned off by the
thought of having to pay for expensive operating systems or by people with a hatred
towards Windows.
Linux is supported by most major software apps but its
downside is that installing those apps is not as straightforward as it would be
on Windows or macOS. Some technical ability is required.
I’ve made no secret of my fondness for Google Chrome, but I
still have a place in my heart for Mozilla Firefox. Firefox has been around
longer than Chrome has been, and Firefox were the ones who started to destroy
Microsoft’s browser monopoly.
I’m surprised though that not many people know that Firefox is open source and that its owner Mozilla is a non-profit foundation. You can freely inspect the code, volunteer to help develop the browser, and even make your own browser based on the Firefox code. Three examples are WaterFox, PaleMoon, and the Tor Browser.
If there was ever a reason never to pay for Microsoft Office
again, LibreOffice would be it. Even paying for Office 365 is pointless when
you see free alternatives like LibreOffice and Google Suite.
LibreOffice is a word processing suite which includes text
documents, spreadsheets, databases and “presentations” (their version of
Powerpoint). Although LibreOffice has its own file format, other file formats,
such as Microsoft files, are fully supported, and there is a nifty one-click
PDF generation button.
Not so long ago, I wrote about my love for KeePass and despite shinier rivals trying to get my attention, my affection for KeePass has never waned. Sure, KeePass is a bit plain and functional. But sometimes that’s all you need.
As well as storing your passwords, it also has a very
easy-to-use password generator. When you accept the password it offers you, it
automatically pre-fills the KeePass fields so all you need to do is “save”.
Since KeePass also has a portable version, it is easy to
stick the password database file in cloud storage and sync it across computers.
Along with Linux, this is probably the other most famous
example of open-source projects. It is used by a staggering 60 million websites
to power everything from online shops to portfolios to blogs (and many more
uses in-between).
Let’s just say that if WordPress decided to stop development
tomorrow, a lot of websites would have serious problems.
To extend its usability, WordPress relies heavily on its vast library of plugins and themes. Most of them are free but there are a lot of premium options as well.
I mentioned earlier on that Mozilla Firefox was the best
open-source browser, but Google has also been working on their own light
open-source offering.
Not to be confused with Google Chrome, Chromium is Google’s
open-source browser. Most of Google Chrome’s code is based on Chromium but
Chromium is also a browser in its own right.
Many other browser developers use Chromium code for their own
browsers. This includes Amazon Silk and Opera. As of this year, Microsoft Edge
will also incorporate Chromium into their browser.
Cryptocurrency
Finally, cryptocurrency. Yes, even that is open-source as
anyone can take an existing cryptocurrency, study the code, and make a new one.
For example, I could take Bitcoin and use the code to make an ONeillCoin if I
was so inclined and had the developing skills.
But that is for another article and for someone who knows
what they are talking about.
