Open-sourcing

is the act of processing source code of a proprietary_software product and preparing to release it under an open_source license. Several notable applications have been through this process, including:
  • Netscape_Navigator was used as the basis of the web_browser, Mozilla
  • StarOffice was used as the basis of the office_applications_suite, OpenOffice.org The task for large applications usually entails more than simply including a LICENSE file in the distribution and releasing it. Many proprietary applications will have a large amount of third party licensed code that will need to be stripped out or permission obtained for its release. Once the process has been completed, the application can be described as being open_source or open-sourced. ''See also:'' free_software
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    Copyright (c) 2004
    Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
    "GNU Free Documentation License".

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