Interestingly enough, not all software is created equal. As with any other consumer product, many people assume that software is a proprietary product bound by a volume of licenses, terms and conditions, and rights to use on a specified number of computers. And in most cases, this is correct. Yet, the existence and subsequent commercial success of another type of software product exists and thrives as well.
Open source software, or OSS, is a kind of computer application that is free to use and distribute. And not only that, its source code is also made available to the public for review and collaboration. In other words, a programmer in the United States can be the author of a particular brand of OSS and collaborate in its development with a programmer in Brazil, Italy, Canada, or anywhere in the world, at no cost to the original developer or the end consumer. One type of open source software you might have used if you watch movies online is the xvid codec.
OSS was a concept originally developed by colleges and universities where students originated the development of software applications as a school project and eventually extended its open-source development to others, including developers throughout the world.
So can OSS make money? Yes, it actually can, though not in the traditional sense of being sold through marketing channels. Once software is open source, it is always open source. However, there can be certain custom add-ons or improvements made to a software program like xvid at the request of a particular user that can cost a premium. Also, certain end-users of an open source application may be willing to pay for support of its use and development to meet their particular needs.
Regardless, the fact that OSS, or freeware, exists has resulted in the accelerated development and widespread use of certain technologies that otherwise would probably not exist today. Examples of some better known OSS ventures include GNU/Linux operating system and Mozilla Firefox web browser.