Software Development: Open vs Closed Source

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Questions and Answers

What is the function of a compiler in software development?

  • To manage user licenses for software
  • To execute source code directly without modification
  • To generate machine instructions from source code (correct)
  • To create documentation for programming languages

What distinguishes open source software from closed source software?

  • Closed source software is free to use without restrictions
  • Users can modify the source code in open source software (correct)
  • Open source software does not require a compiler
  • Closed source software allows community collaboration

Which of the following is an example of an interpreted programming language?

  • PERL (correct)
  • Java
  • Swift
  • C++

What is a potential downside of shareware in software distribution?

<p>It can hide malicious code within seemingly harmless programs (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the open source philosophy impact software security?

<p>It allows users to inspect code for vulnerabilities (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key benefit of creating a global community around open source software?

<p>It promotes shared accountability for issues (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a main challenge associated with closed source software distribution?

<p>Users lack access to source code and transparency (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the relationship between Linux and open source software?

<p>Linux has achieved significant success by adhering to open source philosophies (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a work is placed in the public domain?

<p>The author relinquishes all rights including copyright. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which condition allows others to redistribute a work but prohibits modifications?

<p>Attribution NoDerivs (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can companies profit from open source software?

<p>By selling support or warranties related to the software. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the NonCommercial (NC) condition in Creative Commons licenses allow?

<p>Users can distribute the work for any purpose except commercially. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the ShareAlike (SA) condition in Creative Commons licenses?

<p>To allow modifications which must be shared under the same license. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When can copyrighted work become public domain in certain countries?

<p>After the author's death and a set waiting period. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following Creative Commons licenses prohibits derivative works?

<p>Attribution NoDerivs (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following accurately represents the essence of open source software?

<p>Software that allows modifications and redistribution. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is CC0 in Creative Commons licensing?

<p>The Creative Commons version of public domain. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of business model might a company like Redhat utilize?

<p>Creating distributions and support services around open source software. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the Free Software Foundation?

<p>To promote free software and user control. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which philosophy requires modified software to also remain free?

<p>Copyleft. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What main aspect distinguishes the Open Source Initiative from the Free Software Foundation?

<p>Their stance on copyleft provisions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Tivoization' refer to?

<p>Running modified software on closed hardware. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following licenses is NOT maintained by the Free Software Foundation?

<p>MIT License. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the OSI evaluate licenses to be included in their approved list?

<p>By their compliance with certain principles. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the original flaw in the BSD license according to the Free Software Foundation?

<p>It required acknowledging the University of California in advertisements. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the acronym FOSS stand for?

<p>Free Open Source Software. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key purpose of copyleft licenses?

<p>To ensure software modifications remain open and free. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the FSF's view on software patents?

<p>They advocate against software patents. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the GPL licenses?

<p>Strong licenses that require modifications to remain free. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why did the Free Software Foundation develop the GNU licenses?

<p>To maintain freedom in software use and modifications. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'free' refer to in the context of the Free Software Foundation?

<p>Freedom to use, modify, and distribute software. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What change was incorporated into GPLv3 to address TiVo's implementation of Linux?

<p>A clause prohibiting restrictions on modified binaries. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What programming language was Linux primarily written in?

<p>C (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a common concern of large organizations regarding Linux in its early adoption?

<p>Uncertainty about open source reliability (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant networking specification did the University of California Berkeley introduce in 1984?

<p>TCP/IP (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following organizations is critical for developing standards that ensure system interoperability?

<p>IEEE (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2) allow users to do with Linux?

<p>Modify the source code and redistribute it (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes open source software?

<p>Users have full access to the source code. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was UNIX originally created for?

<p>Mainframe computers (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the End User License Agreement (EULA) associated with Microsoft Windows?

<p>It requires user acceptance to install the software. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens if a user modifies code under GPLv2 and redistributes it?

<p>They must redistribute it under the same GPLv2 license. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does open source software differ from proprietary software regarding licensing?

<p>Proprietary software typically requires a custom license agreement. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of standards organizations like POSIX?

<p>To promote interoperability among different software and systems. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an advantage of using Linux over outdated proprietary systems?

<p>More extensive hardware compatibility (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Free and Open Source Software' (FOSS) indicate?

<p>Software that can be freely used, modified, and distributed. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason companies and institutions preferred proprietary UNIX systems before the rise of Linux?

<p>Stability and ease of application development (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Source Code

A human-readable set of computer instructions.

Compiler

A program that converts source code into machine instructions.

Closed Source License

A type of software license allowing use of machine code without source code access.

Interpreted Languages

Languages where code is run by an interpreter instead of being compiled.

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Open Source Software

Software that allows users access to source code for modification.

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Community of Developers

A group that collaborates on software development and improvement.

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Redistribution of Changes

How modified software can be shared according to open source rules.

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Linux and Open Source

Linux exemplifies successful adoption of open source principles.

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FOSS licenses

Licenses intended for free and open source software.

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Public Domain

Status where an author relinquishes all rights to their work.

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Creative Commons (CC)

Organization creating licenses to protect non-software works.

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Attribution (BY)

CC condition requiring credit to the creator.

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ShareAlike (SA)

CC condition allowing copies under the same terms.

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NonCommercial (NC)

CC condition that disallows commercial use of the work.

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Open Source Business Models

Strategies for monetizing open source software.

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Support/Warranty Sales

Common method for monetizing open source software.

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Wireshark

Network analysis tool started as an open source project.

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CC0

Creative Commons version of public domain, with no rights reserved.

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Linux

An open source operating system developed in C, modeled after UNIX.

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Proprietary Software

Software with restrictions on its use, modification, and distribution, controlled by its owner.

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GNU General Public License (GPL)

A widely-used open source license that allows software to be freely used, modified, and distributed.

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TCP/IP

A set of communication protocols used for the Internet, introduced by BSD.

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UNIX

An influential operating system created in 1969, redesigned in C in 1973.

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API

A set of rules that allows different software entities to communicate.

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Standardization

The process of developing and implementing technical standards.

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4.2BSD

A version of the Berkeley Software Distribution that introduced TCP/IP.

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Interoperability

The ability of different systems and organizations to work together.

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End User License Agreement (EULA)

A legal contract between the software developer and the user.

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Linus Torvalds

The creator of Linux, who released it under the GPL.

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Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)

Software that is neither owned nor restricted; allows free access to code.

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Collaboration in Software Development

A process where multiple developers work together to enhance software.

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Intellectual Property

Legal rights concerning creations of the mind such as software code.

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Software Licensing

The legal framework that defines how software can be used, shared, and modified.

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Free Software Foundation (FSF)

An organization promoting free software, founded by Richard Stallman in 1985.

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Copyleft

A licensing concept that allows users to modify software on the condition that changes are also shared.

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GPLv2 vs GPLv3

The second and third versions of the GPL, with GPLv3 addressing issues like Tivoization.

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Tivoization

The practice of using free software on hardware that restricts modifications.

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Open Source Initiative (OSI)

An organization that promotes and approves open source licenses based on specific principles.

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Permissive Licenses

Licenses that allow redistribution of software with few restrictions, like BSD and MIT licenses.

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BSD License

A simple open source license that permits redistribution with proper acknowledgment.

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Creative Commons

A set of licenses that allow creators to share their work with various levels of permission.

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Libre

A term used to clarify 'free' in the context of freedom, as opposed to cost.

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Digital Rights Management (DRM)

Technologies that control how digital content can be used and distributed.

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Watchdog Organizations

Groups that monitor and advocate against practices infringing on software freedoms.

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Study Notes

Software Development: Open Source vs. Closed Source

  • Software projects consist of source code – human-readable instructions needing compilation.
  • Compilers translate source code into machine code (binary/executable) run by the computer (e.g., Linux kernel).
  • Commercial software often uses closed-source licensing, restricting users' access to source code and prohibiting reverse engineering.
  • Interpreted languages (e.g., Perl, Python, Bash) execute code directly without compilation, relying on an interpreter.
  • Open-source software prioritizes source code access, enabling modifications, inspection, and community contributions.
  • Open source fosters a global community responsible for bug fixes, security improvements, and compatibility.
  • Linux, written in C and inspired by UNIX, exemplifies open-source success due to a large community, overcoming proprietary restrictions.
  • Open-source adoption was initially met with corporate suspicion but became prevalent (eg, supplanting expensive, proprietary systems).
  • UNIX, initially developed in 1969, paved the way for Linux, with standardization aiding porting.
  • Standardization through organizations (e.g. IEEE, POSIX) helps interoperability of different operating systems and programs (irrespective of licensing).

Open Source Licensing

  • Software licensing involves ownership, money transfer, and usage rights.
  • Ownership typically remains with the creator, with users granted licenses (copyright).
  • Open-source licensing contrasts with closed-source licensing (e.g. Microsoft Windows' EULA).
  • GPLv2 (GNU General Public License v2) is a key open-source license, requiring source code availability and modification sharing.
  • GPLv3 addressed restrictions on running changed open source code on hardware.
  • Alternatives exist, like BSD and MIT licenses (permissive).
  • Creative Commons provides licenses for non-software entities, offering conditions including attribution, sharealike, non-commercial, and no derivatives.

Open Source Business Models

  • Selling software is not prohibited by open-source licenses.
  • Support services, warranty, and Linux distribution (Canonical, Red Hat) are revenue sources.
  • Specialized software and hardware products are successful (e.g. Wireshark, consumer firewalls).
  • Businesses use open-source projects for internal needs and influence future technology.
  • Cloud computing's rise expands opportunity for open-source programmers.

Significant Open Source Organizations

  • Free Software Foundation (FSF): Promotes free software (freedom, not zero price), advocates for copyleft (sharing modifications).
  • Open Source Initiative (OSI): Focuses on open source principles, less politically charged licenses, and BSD/MIT licenses.
  • Creative Commons (CC): Offers licenses for non-software entities allowing for attribution, sharealike, non-commercial, and no-derivatives conditions.

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