Open Source vs. Freeware

Does the difference between freeware & open source matter?

Let’s use this inaugural entry as a chance to highlight exactly why some free programs are called freeware and others open source.

You hear ‘freeware’ and ‘open source’ used interchangeably almost all the time. Does it matter whether you’re using a freeware program or an open source program? I mean, either way it’s free, right?

Reading even a few entries in this blog, you’ll quickly see that I’m not a big fan of elitism or fanboyism, so to put it straight, for most end users, it really doesn’t matter.

But scratching a bit deeper and looking from the software development community’s point of view, there’s an important philosophical difference between the two that should be respected. As the name suggests, open source means that the underlying source code that teaches the magical hamsters in the computer to do new tricks is right there, open for the world to see. But the vast majority of users don’t care at all about the source code, they just want a handy program that works. It’s my belief that this alone is the key reason most users don’t know the difference between freeware and open source. Even if the source code download link is right next to the installer file’s link, most users don’t even see it because source code is so far from their realm of interest.

Freeware, on the other hand, is usually made by individuals, small groups of collaborators, or companies. They choose to keep the source private (a.k.a. closed source) for various reasons. One of the big ones is so that they can take advantage of a newfangled business model called “freemium”, where a basic version of the program or service is offered for free, but more advanced options and features are limited to customers who shell out for a ‘pro’ version.

That fundamental philosophical difference leads to a handful of contrasts between how open source and freeware projects run. Keep in mind that the list below is based on generalizations, not hard and fast rules. As with most things, there’s a spectrum of development styles, so not all projects will perfectly fit each mold, but they’re definitely solid rules of thumb.

Open source

• Anyone with needed skills can join the project
• Feature additions can be freewheeling; if you can merge your feature idea into the app in a given release cycle and there are no bugs, odds are good it’ll be in the program
• Forks can be created by taking the original source code and substantially tweaking it or adding major new features, interfaces, etc.
• Developers tend to use the word free with regard to the freedom afforded by the licensing scheme more than price (though the price is almost always zero)

Freeware

• Closed development group (as mentioned above)
• Feature set is tightly controlled and additions are rolled out as release cycle milestones are hit
• Since the code is kept private, alternatives and/or competitors have to build their versions from scratch
• Developers use the word free in reference to the software’s price since the license doesn’t give the rights to reuse or repackage the source code