Open-source Software - Non-software Use

Non-software Use

The principles of open source have been adapted for many forms of user generated content and technology, including open source hardware, Wikipedia, and open access publishing.

Supporters of the open content movement advocate some restrictions of use, requirements to share changes, and attribution to other authors of the work.

This “culture” or ideology takes the view that the principles apply more generally to facilitate concurrent input of different agendas, approaches and priorities, in contrast with more centralized models of development such as those typically used in commercial companies.http://en.wikipedia.org

Advocates of the open source principles often point to Wikipedia as an example, but Wikipedia has in fact often restricted certain types of use or user. The GFDL license it has historically used makes specific requirements of all users, which is in conflict with the open source principles.