Free software and global user-contributed development

Skolelinux is "free software", also known as "open source" or "FLOSS" (Free/Libre Open Source Software). Within this lays the fact that the license which the software is distributed under enables de-centralized, user-contributed development in a global setting.

Skolelinux is developed throughout a network comprising not only of thousands of individuals, but also large organizations like Government funded think-tanks, software laboratories and development projects around the world.

The development of free software also includes many of the largest corporate business of the world, included such companies like IBM, SUN Microsystems, Novell and Hewlett Packard. (About 85% of all developers of free software are paid to do so.)

Three examles of this global community-driven development:

• Skolelinux' own programmers have developed an install method enabling Skolelinux easy installation (This install method is now in use by the widely popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, and have been a key factor in Ubuntus worldwide success.)


• Sun Microsustems develops the office-suite OpenOcffice.org, and makes sure that it's besides or above it's counterpart Microsoft Office. (About 100 programmers at Sun are currently working on OpenOffice.)


• Hewlett Packard employs many engineers that work with the Linux kernel and remains to play an important role in the development of Debian Linux. Debian "packages" many different free software programs into what is known as a "Linux distribution" known for it's security and stability. Skolelinux (and others like Ubuntu) are built on the Debian distribution and contribute back into this global project.