信息和通讯技术（Information and Communications Technology, ICT）的世界正在迅速的改变。新技术和随之而来的新机遇正在以越来越快的速度出现和消失。自由和开源软件（FOSS）运动就是这样一个在当今出现在我们面前的新发展。它的内涵是丰富多样的：革命性的开发过程，颠覆性的新技术，意识和思潮的变革，新的知识和标准，等等。对于政府，企业和教育机构，自由／开源软件都意味着大量的机遇。能够因势夺利、合理使用自由／开源软件的组织（包括发展中国家们）会赢取大量收益；而那些错失良机的会发现自己的信息和通讯技术的发展落后于同道们。
这本小册子是一系列关注自由／开源软件运动的册子中的第一本。它是写给广泛的政策和决策的制定者们，总览一下相关的议题和技术。尽管它更偏重于发展中国家，其中讨论的观点和提供的资信对世界各地的一大批人都有用。
系列中其他各册将分别就自由／开源软件运动的各个方面作详细的讨论，例如政府、教育、基础网络设施、授权和本地化在使用自由／开源软件中的相关事项，技术和经验。
最后，虽然名字中带有显眼的“软件”字样，自由／开源软件运动是基于三大“开放”支柱：开放源码，开放标准和开放内容。按照这一运动的精神，这本册子作为开放内容发布，允许在非常宽松的条件下传播和使用。我们鼓励读者尽量地使用、传播这本册子并为它的改进作出贡献。册子的更新版本将可以从国际开源组织（International Open Source Network, IOSN）的网站获取：
http://www.iosn.net/downloads/foss_primer_current.pdf
把这本册子带给您的是国际开源组织（IOSN），联合国发展计划署亚太地区发展信息项目（UNDP-APDIP）的一个子项目。我们在此感谢参与制作这本册子的所有人，包括研究人员，同行审议人员和出版小组。我们特别要感谢 APDIP 和加拿大国际发展研究中心（International Development Research Centre, IDRC）慷慨的资金支持；若没有他们，这本册子就不可能面世。
我们希望这本册子在未来的年月里能成为许多人的有益资源。
（注）关于授权详情请参看附录III。
一校：habpi 02/24/2007
The world of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) changes rapidly. New technologies and with them, new opportunities, come and go at an ever increasing speed. The Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement is one such development that is playing out before us today. It is many things—–revolutionary development process, disruptive technology, ideological movement, new knowledge and standards, and more. It offers many opportunities for governmental, private sector, and educational institutions. Organizations, as well as developing nations, that take advantage of FOSS and implement them appropriately stand to gain much, while those that fail to take advantage of this opportunity may find their ICT development lagging behind that of comparable organizations.
This primer is the first in a series of primers focused on the FOSS movement. Intended for policy and decision makers in general, the primer gives an overview of the issues and technologies involved. Although geared more for developing countries, the points discussed and the resources contained in this primer are relevant to a broad range of individuals around the world.
The remaining primers in the series will focus in greater detail on particular aspects of the Free/Open Source Software movement, such as issues, technologies, and experiences in FOSS in government, education, network infrastructure, licensing and localization.
Finally, despite the prominence of “software” in its name, the Free/Open Source Software movement is based on three “Open” pillars—Open Source, Open Standards and Open Content. In the spirit of the movement, this primer is released as Open Content, allowing redistribution and usage under very broad conditions1. Readers are encouraged to use, distribute, and contribute back to this resource as much as possible. The updated version of the primer will be available from the International Open Source Network website at:
http://www.iosn.net/downloads/foss_primer_current.pdf
The primers are brought to you by the International Open Source Network (IOSN), an initiative of the UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP). We would like to thank all those who have been involved in creating this primer, including the researchers, peer reviewers and production team. In particular, we would like to thank APDIP and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada for their generous financial support, without which this primer would never have been written.
It is our hope that this document will become a valuable resource for many in the years to come.