16 Questions
What does FLOSS stand for in the context of open source development?
Free, libre, open source software
In the 50's and 60's, why was source code distributed with the software produced by research institutes?
To increase hardware sales
What was the nature of software development and distribution in the early 1970's?
Communities of user groups developing and distributing software
What characterized the evolution of the open source movement?
Growing collaboration and community-driven development
What is the primary reason for distributing source code with software in the 50's and 60's?
To encourage user modifications for bug fixes and new features
What are some advantages of open source development?
Community-driven development and freedom to modify
Who launched the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation?
Richard Stallman
In what year did the Computer Science Research Group (CSRG) of the University of California at Berkeley start improving the UNIX system, which quickly became known as 'BSD UNIX'?
1985
What did Richard Stallman create in 1985?
Free Software Foundation
What legal tool was designed in 1990 to ensure that the software produced by GNU would remain free and to promote the production of more open source software?
GNU General Public License (GPL)
In which year did Stallman create an open source software license?
1987
Which computer vendors and software companies began to routinely charge for software licenses in the 1980s?
Adobe Inc.
What did the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab launch in the 1980s?
GNU Project
What did the Free Software Foundation promote in all areas of computing?
'open source software'
Who started the GNU project for building a free operating system in 1984?
Richard Stallman
With the advent of Usenet, what did internet user groups start to share?
Software and contribute to each other's work
Study Notes
Open Source Development
- FLOSS stands for Free/Libre and Open Source Software.
- In the 1950s and 1960s, source code was distributed with software produced by research institutes because it was common practice to share knowledge and collaborate in the academic community.
Early Days of Software Development
- In the early 1970s, software development and distribution were often done by hobbyists and researchers, who shared their work freely.
Evolution of Open Source Movement
- The open source movement evolved with the desire for freedom to modify and distribute software, and the need to promote collaboration and sharing in the software development community.
Motivation for Distributing Source Code
- The primary reason for distributing source code with software in the 1950s and 1960s was to facilitate collaboration and sharing of knowledge.
Advantages of Open Source Development
- Open source development offers advantages such as community involvement, rapid bug fixing, and customization.
Key Players and Projects
- Richard Stallman launched the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation.
- The Computer Science Research Group (CSRG) of the University of California at Berkeley started improving the UNIX system in 1977, which became known as 'BSD UNIX'.
- Richard Stallman created the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) in 1985.
- The GNU General Public License (GPL) was designed in 1990 as a legal tool to ensure that software produced by GNU would remain free and to promote open source software development.
- Stallman created the GNU General Public License (GPL) in 1989.
- Computer vendors and software companies such as IBM and Microsoft began to routinely charge for software licenses in the 1980s.
- The MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab launched the X Window System in the 1980s.
- The Free Software Foundation promoted the development and use of free software in all areas of computing.
- Richard Stallman started the GNU project for building a free operating system in 1984.
- With the advent of Usenet, internet user groups started to share software and collaborate on projects.
Test your knowledge about the history, evolution, advantages, and trends of open source development. Learn about FLOSS (Free, Libre, Open Source Software) and gain insights into the perspectives of open source in the IT field.
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