Across the great divide

Free Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) is licensed to allow users the freedom to copy, reuse, study and develop the software. As a term which efficiently encompasses both ‘free software’ and ‘open-source’ models, FLOSS may offer music practitioners and researchers the opportunity to develop and use such software without becoming mired in a particular stance. In this article, parallels between FLOSS and experimental music are explored, with a view to highlighting their compatibility. Through reflection on the recent composition, recording and distribution of three text scores, this article examines how the application of a FLOSS framework may assist with such work in an academic setting and how FLOSS tools might be utilized in such settings in the future as they become more prevalent, more reliable and more stable.