Computer science - Issues (open source vs proprietary software)
Examples of open source software:
- Apache HTTP server (runs web servers) - GIMP (image editing) - Mozilla Firefox (web browser) - VLC media player (media player and streaming media server) - Linux
Disadvantages of proprietary software:
- Can be expensive - Software may not exactly fit a user's needs, and they can't do anything about it - Software companies may not maintain older software after warranties expire - they'll want people to buy their latest product
Advantages of proprietary software:
- Comes with warranties, documentation and customer support - Should be well-tested and reliable as the company's reputation depends on this - Fixes and updates will come regularly - Usually cheaper for companies than developing their own custom-built software
Examples of proprietary software:
- Microsoft (Office, Windows, Outlook, etc...) - Adobe (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc...)
Disadvantages of open source software:
- Small projects may not get regular updates so could be buggy or have unpatched security holes - There may be limited user documentation - No warranties if something goes wrong - No customer support (however the community forums often make up for this) - Companies using open source code to make custom software may not want competitors to see their source code but have no choice
What do proprietary software licenses restrict?
- The modification of the software - The copying of the software - The redistribution of the software
Examples of Linux-based OSs:
- UBUNTU - Debian - Android
Advantages of open source software:
- Usually free - Made for the greater good, not profit - benefits everyone, encourages collaboration and sharing of ideas - Software can be adapted by users to fit their needs - Wide pool of collaborators can be more creative and innovative than the programmers of one company - Popular software is very reliable and secure as any problems are quickly solved by the community
When was linux released?
1991
What is a popular open-source software supported by?
A strong community (forums of users sharing ideas and solving problems)
What is linux?
An open source OS
What type of software do businesses often use?
Proprietary software
What is proprietary software?
Software where only the compiled code is released, the source code is usually a closely-guarded secret
What is open source software?
Software where the source code is made freely available
What is the source code?
The actual programming code behind software
What is the use of a strong community supporting open-source software?
They actively help to improve the software as anyone can play with the source code and suggest bug fixes and improvements to the original developers
What can users do to open source software?
They can legally modify the source code to create their own spin-off software, which can be shared under the same license and terms as the original software
How much is open source software?
Usually free
How much is proprietary software?
Usually paid for
