How would you describe 'open-source software' to someone unfamiliar with technology?

• A. Software that requires licenses for use
• B. Software that can be modified and shared by anyone
• C. Software that is designed for commercial use only
• D. Software that is typically used in corporate environments

Answer: (B)

Open-source software means the program’s underlying code is freely accessible so anyone can inspect it, learn from it, modify it, and share those changes with others. This is why describing it as software that can be modified and shared by anyone is the best fit. People collaborate by fixing bugs, adding features, and distributing their improvements, guided by licenses that set terms for using, changing, and redistributing the code. You can see open-source in action with projects like Linux, Firefox, and Apache. It isn’t limited to commercial use or corporate environments—those are just common settings where open-source work happens. The defining idea is the freedom to view, change, and share the code.