oss

oss is an acronym that can refer to several concepts in computing and information technology. The most widely used meanings are Open Source Software (OSS), the Open Sound System (OSS), and Object Storage Service (OSS). The context usually makes clear which meaning is intended.

Open Source Software refers to software released with source code under licenses that permit use, study, modification, and redistribution. The term emerged in the 1990s with the growth of the open-source movement. Common licenses include the GNU General Public License, MIT, and Apache; they differ in copyleft obligations and permissions. OSS is widely used in government, industry, and academia and is often developed in communities, with collaboration managed through public version control and proposal processes.

Open Sound System is a legacy API and device interface for digital audio on Unix-like systems. It provided a portable interface for sound hardware prior to the shift to newer audio stacks such as ALSA on Linux and PulseAudio or PipeWire on desktop systems. While OSS remains available in some kernels as a compatibility layer, many systems have transitioned to newer frameworks.

Object Storage Service describes a scalable cloud storage model that stores data as discrete objects with metadata, accessed via HTTP-based APIs. OSS deployments emphasize durability, geographic distribution, and pay-as-you-go pricing, making them suitable for backups, media hosting, and web-scale applications. Leading providers include Alibaba Cloud OSS; other major cloud platforms offer similar object storage services under different names.

See also: Open Source Initiative; list of cloud storage services.