The Free Software Directory (FSD) is a project of the Free Software Foundation (FSF). It catalogs free software that runs under free operating systems—particularly GNU and Linux. The cataloged projects are often able to run in several other operating systems. The project was formerly co-run by UNESCO.
Unlike some other directories that focus on free software,[1] Free Software Directory staff verify the licenses of software listed in the directory.
FSD has been used as a source for assessing the share of free software, for example finding in September 2002 an amount of "1550 entries, of which 1363 (87.9%) used the GPL license, 103 (6.6%) used the LGPL license, 32 (2.0%) used a BSD or BSD-like license, 29 (1.9%) used the Artistic license, 5 (0.3%) used the MIT license".[2] By September 2009, the Directory listed 6,000 packages whose number grew up to 6,500 in October 2011, when the newly updated directory was launched. All listed packages are "free for any computer user to download, run and share. Each entry is individually checked and tested ... so users know that any program they come across in the directory will be truly free software ... with free documentation and without proprietary software requirements".[3]
Several scientific publications review or refer to the directory.[4][5][6] It has been remarked that the Directory "only includes software that runs on free operating systems. The FSF/UNESCO Free Software Directory is also a collaborative project, offering a web interface for users to enter and update entries".[7] Among the critical issues of the previous version, it has been pointed out that while "available software is described using a variety of textual metadata, including the components upon which a particular piece of software depends", "unfortunately, those dependencies are only listed by name, and locating and retrieving them is left to the user".[8] On the other hand, the accuracy of the directory review on licenses is acknowledged.[9] The code review from the directory's editorial board is suitable for obtaining statistics on subsets of free software packages reliably clustered by license.[10][11]
In September 2011, the Free Software Directory was re-implemented as a wiki, using MediaWiki and the Semantic MediaWiki extension, to allow users to directly add to and modify its contents.[12] Semantic MediaWiki provides the directory with semantic web technologies by adding "advanced search and presentation capabilities, structured to be useful for reading by both humans and data-mining programs".[13]
The new edition of the directory has been described as designed to ease and support with semantics the discovery and harvesting of information on free software programs. "An extensive and flexible category system, plus over 40,000 keywords and more than 40 different fields of information, enhance both simple and advanced searching".[13]
A recent snapshot of the taxonomy of the projects reviewed and accepted in the directory is the following:[14]
^Among public directories that focus on free software, for example, Kim, E. E. (2003). An Introduction to Open Source Communities Archived 2003-06-02 at archive.today mentions SourceForge and Freshmeat:
^Wheeler D. A. (2011). Make Your Open Source Software GPL-Compatible. Or Else.. Released 2002-05-06, revised 2011-04-26. The article remarked that:
The FSF prefers the GPL license, so the FSF directory statistic may be biased in the percentage of GPLed software it registers, but the directory still provides strong additional evidence that the GPL is a widely used license for FLOSS.
^Noyes, K. (2011), Looking for Free Software? A New Directory Can Help, PCWorld
^Reichle, M.; Hanft, A. (2006). "Strategies and Technologies of Sharing in Contributor-Run Archives". Library Trends. 53 (4): 651–662. hdl:2142/1750. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
^Dorn, J.; Hochmeister, M. (2009), TechScreen: Mining Competencies in Social Software, The 13th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, Orlando, pp. 115–126{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Amatriain, X.; Griffiths, D. (2004), Free Software in Education: Is it a Viable Alternative?, Proceedings of the 7th IMAC Conference on Localization and Globalization in Technology, Duisburg, Germany{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Jones, P. (2005). "The FLOSSWALD Information System on Free and Open Source Software". Proceedings of the 9th International Workshop on Learning Software Organizations.
^van der Hoek, A.; Wolf, A. L. (2002). "Software release management for component-based software". Software: Practice and Experience. 33 (1): 77–98. CiteSeerX10.1.1.13.3314. doi:10.1002/spe.496. S2CID 1141249.
^Wheeler, D. A. (2011). "How to Evaluate Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS) Programs". The Free Software Foundation's "Free Software Directory" is somewhat smaller, but they work hard to make sure their information is accurate (in particular, they check licenses carefully).
^Monden, A.; Okahara, S.; Manabe, Y.; Matsumoto, K. (2011). "Guilty or Not Guilty: Using Clone Metrics to Determine Open Source Licensing Violations". IEEE Software. 28 (2): 42–47. doi:10.1109/MS.2010.159. ISSN 0740-7459. S2CID 18177654.. Free access version: (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2012-04-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Free Software Foundation re-launches its Free Software Directory, with over 6500 programs listed (press release), Josh Gay, September 29, 2011
^ abThe Free Software Foundation (FSF) Re-launches Free Software Directory, TECK.IN, October 3rd, 2011.
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The Free Software Directory FSD is a project of the Free Software Foundation FSF It catalogs free software that runs under free operating systems particularly GNU and Linux The cataloged projects are often able to run in several other operating systems The project was formerly co run by UNESCO Unlike some other directories that focus on free software 1 Free Software Directory staff verify the licenses of software listed in the directory Contents 1 Coverage growth and usages 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksCoverage growth and usages editFSD has been used as a source for assessing the share of free software for example finding in September 2002 an amount of 1550 entries of which 1363 87 9 used the GPL license 103 6 6 used the LGPL license 32 2 0 used a BSD or BSD like license 29 1 9 used the Artistic license 5 0 3 used the MIT license 2 By September 2009 the Directory listed 6 000 packages whose number grew up to 6 500 in October 2011 when the newly updated directory was launched All listed packages are free for any computer user to download run and share Each entry is individually checked and tested so users know that any program they come across in the directory will be truly free software with free documentation and without proprietary software requirements 3 Several scientific publications review or refer to the directory 4 5 6 It has been remarked that the Directory only includes software that runs on free operating systems The FSF UNESCO Free Software Directory is also a collaborative project offering a web interface for users to enter and update entries 7 Among the critical issues of the previous version it has been pointed out that while available software is described using a variety of textual metadata including the components upon which a particular piece of software depends unfortunately those dependencies are only listed by name and locating and retrieving them is left to the user 8 On the other hand the accuracy of the directory review on licenses is acknowledged 9 The code review from the directory s editorial board is suitable for obtaining statistics on subsets of free software packages reliably clustered by license 10 11 In September 2011 the Free Software Directory was re implemented as a wiki using MediaWiki and the Semantic MediaWiki extension to allow users to directly add to and modify its contents 12 Semantic MediaWiki provides the directory with semantic web technologies by adding advanced search and presentation capabilities structured to be useful for reading by both humans and data mining programs 13 The new edition of the directory has been described as designed to ease and support with semantics the discovery and harvesting of information on free software programs An extensive and flexible category system plus over 40 000 keywords and more than 40 different fields of information enhance both simple and advanced searching 13 A recent snapshot of the taxonomy of the projects reviewed and accepted in the directory is the following 14 accessibility accounting addressbooks addresses archive audio barcodes barcoding bitcoin cad calculating calendar command line compressing console copying daemon database desktop enhancement e mail ebooks ecommerce editing education email fax faxing file manager frontend gameplaying gnome app graphics hobbies html images interface internet application kde app library live communications localization mathematics mixing organizing pim playing printing productivity project management reading science security software development specialized spreadsheet sql stock market storage system administration telephony text text creation timekeeping timetracker video web web authoring window manager x window system xmlSee also edit nbsp Free and open source software portalReferences edit Among public directories that focus on free software for example Kim E E 2003 An Introduction to Open Source Communities Archived 2003 06 02 at archive today mentions SourceForge and Freshmeat There are three major databases of open source software available on the Internet today the GNU Free Software Directory https www gnu org directory SourceForge https sourceforge net and Freshmeat http freshmeat net Wheeler D A 2011 Make Your Open Source Software GPL Compatible Or Else Released 2002 05 06 revised 2011 04 26 The article remarked that The FSF prefers the GPL license so the FSF directory statistic may be biased in the percentage of GPLed software it registers but the directory still provides strong additional evidence that the GPL is a widely used license for FLOSS Noyes K 2011 Looking for Free Software A New Directory Can Help PCWorld Reichle M Hanft A 2006 Strategies and Technologies of Sharing in Contributor Run Archives Library Trends 53 4 651 662 hdl 2142 1750 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Unknown parameter agency ignored help Dorn J Hochmeister M 2009 TechScreen Mining Competencies in Social Software The 13th World Multi Conference on Systemics Cybernetics and Informatics Orlando pp 115 126 a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Amatriain X Griffiths D 2004 Free Software in Education Is it a Viable Alternative Proceedings of the 7th IMAC Conference on Localization and Globalization in Technology Duisburg Germany a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Jones P 2005 The FLOSSWALD Information System on Free and Open Source Software Proceedings of the 9th International Workshop on Learning Software Organizations van der Hoek A Wolf A L 2002 Software release management for component based software Software Practice and Experience 33 1 77 98 CiteSeerX 10 1 1 13 3314 doi 10 1002 spe 496 S2CID 1141249 Wheeler D A 2011 How to Evaluate Open Source Software Free Software OSS FS Programs The Free Software Foundation s Free Software Directory is somewhat smaller but they work hard to make sure their information is accurate in particular they check licenses carefully See the query interface on license type http directory fsf org wiki Special RunQuery Query license Monden A Okahara S Manabe Y Matsumoto K 2011 Guilty or Not Guilty Using Clone Metrics to Determine Open Source Licensing Violations IEEE Software 28 2 42 47 doi 10 1109 MS 2010 159 ISSN 0740 7459 S2CID 18177654 Free access version Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2013 04 14 Retrieved 2012 04 19 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Free Software Foundation re launches its Free Software Directory with over 6500 programs listed press release Josh Gay September 29 2011 a b The Free Software Foundation FSF Re launches Free Software Directory TECK IN October 3rd 2011 http directory fsf org wiki Category All Last visited 2017 January 29 External links editThe Free Software Directory Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Free Software Directory amp oldid 1171023281, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
