[Ads-l] "Open Source" Not in OED

Tue Dec 5 19:06:39 UTC 2023

Amy West wrote:
[Begin excerpt]
Garson probably can chime in here and speak more intelligibly than I can.
[End excerpt]

The definition of open source is complex and controversial. While it
is true that I have a doctorate in computer science, I am not an
expert in this topic.

Currently, the most influential organization specifying a definition
for open source is The Open Source Initiative (OSI), a California
public benefit corporation founded in 1998.

https://opensource.org/

[Begin excerpt]
We define Open Source
The Open Source Definition is the foundation of the modern software
ecosystem. We build a world where the freedoms and opportunities of
Open Source software can be enjoyed by all.
[End excerpt]

I do not think that a dictionary definition for "open source" can
include all the nuances. The definition must be somewhat simplified.

The latest ongoing controversy is in the domain of artificial
intelligence. The discussion below is somewhat technical. I suggest
that you skip it unless you are interested in the future of open
source.

Meta (formerly Facebook) released a powerful AI Large Language Model
called Llama 2. Meta has claimed that the model is open source. But
OSI has not approved this claim.

https://ai.meta.com/llama/

[Begin excerpt]
Introducing Llama 2
The next generation of our open source large language model
Llama 2 is available for free for research and commercial use.
[End excerpt]

Many disagree with Meta's claim that Llama is open source.
https://thenewstack.io/metas-llama-2-is-not-open-source-and-thats-ok/

[Begin excerpt]
Meta's release of Llama 2 this week is not open source and the Llama
Community License is not approved by the OSI nor would it be as it
does not meet the requirements of the OSD.

The OSI itself has acknowledged that AI requires something different
and is currently undertaking a consultation to find a new "Open Source
AI" definition. That consultation continues through the year and will
not see an output before the end of this year at the earliest.
[End excerpt]

Here is a link to the license for Llama 2. The license is complex. One
of the provisions restricts products and services when usage reaches
"greater than 700 million monthly active users". This restriction
means that Llama 2 is not truly open source.

https://ai.meta.com/resources/models-and-libraries/llama-downloads/

[Begin excerpt]
2. Additional Commercial Terms. If, on the Llama 2 version release
date, the monthly active users of the products or services made
available by or for Licensee, or Licensee’s affiliates, is greater
than 700 million monthly active users in the preceding calendar month,
you must request a license from Meta, which Meta may grant to you in
its sole discretion, and you are not authorized to exercise any of the
rights under this Agreement unless or until Meta otherwise expressly
grants you such rights.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Dec 4, 2023 at 7:59 AM Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:
>
> Garson probably can chime in here and speak more intelligibly than I
> can. In conversation with my husband (who is part of the humanitarian
> free and open source software [HFOSS] community) about this the other
> day, he said that the term was preceded by the use of "free software",
> based on Stallman's terminology. He said that there's not only the idea
> of having the code but being able to alter and share the code, which is
> a licensing thang. He said that the use of "open source" is a
> comparatively recent development/shift in terminology. (And note that
> his community uses both "free" and "open" in their labeling.) (And
> you're getting my husband's explanation filtered through my "spousal
> listening" filter.)
>
>
> ---Amy West
>
>
> On 12/4/23 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> > Date:    Sun, 3 Dec 2023 08:52:44 -0500
> > From:"dave at wilton.net"  <dave at WILTON.NET>
> > Subject: Re: "Open Source" Not in OED
> >
> >
> > A quick search turned up citations from 1989 in reference to open source
> >   software, and 1946 for the term in relation to intelligence. There are
> > likely earlier cites for the software usage, but 1946 is really early
> > for the intelligence sense (except maybe in government documents).
> >
> >
> > Andrews, Paul. “Industry’s Soviet Connection Helps Raise the Iron
> > Curtain.” Seattle Times, 26 December 1989, E4/1. Readex: America’s
> > Historical Newspapers.
> >
> > “Soviet programmers had gotten their hands on Raima’s program—db-Vista,
> > and fast and versatile C language data-base compiler with an open source
> >   code—the same way lots of software gets passed around: from friends or
> > associates in the international PC community.”
> >
> > (This article also uses the, possibly one-off, term “glasnostware.”)
> >
> >
> > “Surprised at Russia?” Oregon Statesman (Salem), 21 February 1946, 4/1.
> > ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
> >
> > “Russia obviously felt this to be true, and adopted underground means to
> >   complement the information on atomic energy which she must certainly be
> >   assembling from every open source on which she can possibly lay her
> > hands. The fact that she used the technique of espionage, and apparently
> >   got caught at it, is a serious blow to Russian assurances of
> > friendliness, but is only another illustration of the immense importance
> >   which all governments in 1946 ascribe to being minutely informed.”
> >
> >
> > Yerxa, Fendall and Ogden R. Reid. “U.S. Leaves Self Open to Spies
> > Seeking Vital Intelligence Data.” Evansville Courier (Indiana), 11
> > December 1950, 5/1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
> >
> > “Internal security experts under the President’s National Security
> > Council have met during the past few days in a search for practical
> > measures to shut down the “open sources” of vital information that are
> > at present available to anyone.
> >
> > "These so-called "open sources” include government offices, libraries
> > and private organizations. Many of them make available to the general
> > public such things a geographical layouts of industrits [sic], municipal
> >   plans, technical and scientific data, patents, operational details of
> > transportation systems, engineering plans and similar material which
> > might be of great assistance to operatives bent on wide-scale sabotage.”
> >
> >
> > Zorza, Victor. “Chines Border Talks Come at Right Time.” Sunday Star
> > (Washington, DC), 12 October 1969, G-4/4. Readex: America’s Historical
> > Newspapers.
> >
> > “Of the open source, the most important such information came in the
> > journalistic dispatch sent out of Moscow by Victor Louis, whose
> > non-journalistic connections were crucial to an understanding of its
> > gravity. Of the private sources, the most important indications came
> > from diplomatic probing by the Russians, who tried in seemingly casual
> > conversations to find out what the western reaction would be in the
> > event of hostilities.”
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org