Introduction to open source

OpenKore is open source. This means that:

• The source code is available for everybody to read and modify.
• Open development is encouraged. Everybody can contribute code.

The most important reason why OpenKore is open source, is because the original Kore (by Kura) was also open source, distributed under the GNU General Public License. So all derived works (skore, OpenKore, all other Kores) must also be open source. You may want to learn the history of OpenKore before reading this page.

Advantages

Being open source is a huge advantage for OpenKore. Here are are some examples:

Active development

People were actively contributing code on (s)Kore's forums, such as new features and bug fixes.

Not dependend on the original author

The original author, Kura, stopped developing Kore. However, because the source was available, other people took the code and kept maintaining it. So even if the original author doesn't work on it anymore, other people can keep it alive. This is why Solos Kore exists. It soon became the most popular version of Kore.

Fast

Solos isn't maintaining Solos Kore anymore. When Comodo came to iRO, the protocol has changed and broke Solos Kore. Within one day, an inofficial bug fix was already available. This is how FakQ's mod, and later skore-revamped, and yet later OpenKore, were born.

Peer review

This is an important one, and is usually forgotten by many people. Everybody can read the source code, thus pointing out potential flaws. Backdoors and keyloggers won't last long, even if they can get in at all!

Myths

If you're coming from the MS Windows world, filled with commercial software, freeware and shareware, all without source code, then open source must seem very odd to you. Here are some common myths:

"People will steal your code and claim it as their own."

In theory, this is possible. But in practice, it almost never happens. Look at popular open source projects such as Linux, GNOME, KDE and OpenOffice: I have yet to see somebody "stealing" their code and claim the code as his own. Most people play by the rules, give credit to the original authors, and release the source code.

In case somebody does try to claim it as his own, it won't be a disaster. He will most likely be flamed down by the community for being a fraud. Nobody will use his version. It won't take long before he'll disappear.

Besides, you really don't need the source code to claim someone's software as your own! Everybody can open your executable in a hex editor, and change your name to his.

"People will put viruses and trojans in it"

You don't need the source code to put viruses and trojans in executables. So not providing the source code does not help at all. See also next point.

"An evil person can put in a backdoor or keylogger"

This is false. Everybody can modify the source code, yes. But that doesn't mean that everybody can get those changes into the official version! If somebody submits code, it will be reviewed by many people. Code with backdoors or keyloggers will get detected, and won't appear in the official version.

Everybody can contribute code. But that doesn't mean their code will blindly be accepted.