Open access (OA), open source software (OSS) and open educational resources (OER) share a common heritage and philosophy – they are about giving everyone access and permission to use, change and re-use material.
OA, OSS and OER share the same benefits:
Low or no cost to users, as products are generally free to access and download;Shorter development cycle due to the collaborative, parallel efforts of developers;Adaptability to suit own conditions.
