Open and Closed Source and What It Means Essay Example for Free

Open and Closed Source and What It Means Essay Open-Source means it is free. No one owns it, so there is no source code, no key code, and no licensing to purchase. When Linus Torvalds created Linux, he determined that the more people or, the more minds delving into the software can make the system more creative, more improved, and the possibilities are endless. Thus, he gave Linux to the world as a free open-source operating system (Damicon; Linking The Left Brain And The Right Brain: Open Vs. Closed Source, 2003-2009). Open-Source is defined by the code or source code is accessible to person or persons who essentially use it or in IT definition: end-user. The user can revise and refashion or change it, as long as he or she adhere to the standards in the associated license (Damicon; Linking The Left Brain And The Right Brain: Open Vs. Closed Source, 2003-2009). How Open Source is different from Closed Source Closed-Source is owned by someone, or some company, and cost money. The buyer has to pay for the right to use the program, but the buyer does not own it. In the case of Microsoft Windows companies have to purchase licensing rights can purchase keys codes in volume, and individuals pay for their key codes, or rights to use the software or program (Damicon; Linking The Left Brain And The Right Brain: Open Vs. Closed Source, 2003-2009). Closed Source is also defined in that the code or source code is retained and maintained by the designer or developer, and they are the only ones that can make changes to it, analyze it, or scrutinize it (Damicon; Linking The Left Brain And The Right Brain: Open Vs. Closed Source, 2003-2009). Linux Linux is an open-source version of the UNIX operating system. It has been said According to What Is Linux And Why Is It So Popular? (1998-2013), it is as â€Å"much a phenomenon as it is an operating system† (para. 4). The original version or first version of UNIX was created some decades ago and was used mostly as a research operating system in universities. Dynamic desktop workstations from other companies flourished in the 1980s, and were all created from UNIX. Because many companies were trying to compete with each other each of them had, their own version of UNIX and software sales was very problematic. The Linux kernel created by Linus Torvalds, invited help or innovation ideas from others, but the prerequisite was that they had to contribute free. Windows Windows is a computer operating system with a GUI or graphical user interface. It is a personal computer operating system, or PC OS created by Microsoft. The first version in 1985 was presented to residential and commercial PC users the GUI that was created at an experimental lab at Xerox, as well as Apple’s Lisa and Macintosh (Mac) computers. Microsoft’s Word and excel became the customary for users throughout the world in homes and businesses. OS X OS X is also known as Mac OS X, or Mac OS 10 is the present version of the operating system used on Apple Macintosh computers. It is a user-friendly OS. Previous versions based on the original Mac OS were released in 1984. In the late 1990’s Window’s started to make Mac OS and Apple’s OS appear to be outdated, and so Apple overhauled Mac OS and generated a new OS from the ground up. Since a lot of the code was composed from scratch, a great deal of it was taken from NEXTSTEP OS. NEXTSTEP was a Unix-based system running on NeXT computers, which are no longer manufactured. Apple purchased NeXT in 1997 and Steve Jobs was hired as interim CEO. Apple then took the Unix-based code from NEXTSTEP and combined it with the GUI of Mac OS 9. It became an unwavering, high-performance OS that was as stable as UNIX and the intuitive interface of the Mac. Mac OS X 10. 0 was released in 2001. General Licensing Models (GPL) Gnu Public License, Microsoft Licensing Most software licenses are intended to not allow the user to share and change it. However, the GNU or General Public License is designed to allow users to share, copy, and change free software, or to confirm the software is free to all users. Software that safeguards these privileges are kept is called free software. The license was originally written by Richard Stallman of the Free Software Foundation or (FSF) for the GNU project. According to Gnu General Public License, Version 3 29 June 2007 (2007), â€Å"The GNU General Public license is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works† (para. 1). Copyleft means a technique for creating a program whereby it is free; forcing any altered and expanded versions of said program to be free also. A software company provides a software license to a consumer who then provides their permission for the consumer to use their software packet or package. Typically, it comes with many restrictions, and only allows the user one copy per license. It cannot be copied or distributed in anyway. Such is the case for Microsoft. Microsoft also has volume licensing in that a corporation can purchase as many licenses, or also referred to as key codes, as they might need depending on the size of the business. When Microsoft came up with volume licensing it allowed businesses to save costs by not having to purchase the boxed software. The cost is only for the license number or key code. It can also give tailored buying choices and better software administration.