And it has thousands upon thousands of explanations of those rules in its Program Operating Manual System, called the POMS, which provides guidance on implementing the 2, 728 rules.

FORBES: 44 Social Security 'Secrets' All Baby Boomers and Millions of Current Recipients Need to Know - Revised!

It takes the software packages developed by Linux volunteers, tests them, assembles them into a working operating system and ships the result on a compact disc along with a manual and a promise of support.

ECONOMIST: Free software