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Essay / Open Source versus Proprietary Software
Table of ContentsOpen Source SoftwareAdvantages:Disadvantages:Proprietary SoftwareAdvantages:Disadvantages:Comparison between Open Source and Proprietary SoftwareOpen Source Software versus Proprietary Software Cost:Development:Support:Flexibility :AvailabilityTransparencyReliabilityConclusion:Open Source SoftwareThe term open source refers to software whose source code is freely accessible on the Internet to the general public to be used and modified free of charge compared to its original design. The term originated in the context of software development to refer to a specific approach to creating computer programs. Today, however, open source refers to a broader set of values that we call the open source way. Open source projects, products or initiatives embrace and celebrate the principles of open exchange, collaborative participation, rapid prototyping, transparency, meritocracy and community-driven development. Open source code is usually created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve the code and share changes within the community. Open source software is software whose source code can be inspected, modified and improved by anyone. Programmers who have access to the source code of a computer program can improve that program by adding features or repairing parts that don't always work properly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayBenefits:The group collaboration approach of open source projects benefits users of the software because errors are fixed more quickly.De New features are added and released more frequently. .The software is more stable and more programmers look for errors in the code. Security updates are implemented faster than many proprietary software. Disadvantages: The main disadvantage of open source software is not easy to use. Open source operating systems like Linux are not learned in a day. They require effort and possibly training on your part before you can master them. In addition, many parallel developments are underway on open source software. This creates confusion about what features are in which versions. Finally, many of the latest hardware are incompatible with the open source platform; so you must rely on third-party drivers.Proprietary softwareProprietary software is computer software for which the software publisher or another person retains the intellectual property rights, usually the copyright in the source code, but sometimes the patent rights. This is software owned by an individual or a company (usually the one that developed it). Proprietary software may also be called closed source software or commercial software. Computer programs that are the exclusive property of their developers or publishers and may not be copied or distributed without respecting their license agreements. Almost all commercial software is proprietary, but many new programs are excellent. There are almost always significant restrictions on its use and its source code is almost always kept secret. Restrictions vary somewhat by license, but a typical requirement is that they include a copy of the original license. The most commonly used license, the GNU Public License (GPL), further requires that if a modified version of the software isdistributed, the source code of this modified version is made available free of charge. Advantages: Proprietary software publishers use their profits to invest in the sustainability of the product. If the creator of a proprietary software package goes out of business, compatibility updates will not be made, authorization servers will not work, and eventually the software will become obsolete. · Proprietary operating systems like Windows and OS X make the overall user experience simpler and smoother. The wider range of options available in open source reduces the out-of-the-box appeal of the product because it requires users to set their preferences and configure the system to their liking. · The multiplier effect is the process by which more and more users are attracted to a specific product, in this case, an operating system based on the increasing number of people already using it. More users means developers are more likely to build software based on the operating system. This in turn encourages more users to upgrade to the operating system. Proprietary systems may have an advantage in courting users because of the advertising capabilities of the large companies that design them. Cons: Proprietary software charges licensing fees. Since developers sell their products for a living, they charge for access to their product, and in some cases these licensing fees can be substantial. · With proprietary software, you depend on the program developer for all updates, support, and fixes. Updates may be slow to arrive, depending on the size of the development team, and it may take some time to resolve security vulnerabilities or other issues. Additionally, if the main developer goes out of business, you may no longer have updates or support unless another company buys the project. · Proprietary software systems rely on the development team identifying problems, or worse, security vulnerabilities discovered in the wild. Some first-party developers notoriously rely on security through obscurity, attempting to suppress information about security weaknesses in order to prevent outsiders from using them. · Open source software generally offers more customization options than proprietary systems. In many cases, what you see is what you get with a proprietary software package. Comparing Open Source and Proprietary Software The term open source refers to software whose source code (the medium in which programmers create and modify software) is freely available on the Internet. ; in contrast, the source code of proprietary commercial software is generally a closely guarded secret. Only the original authors of proprietary software may legally copy, inspect and modify that software. And to use proprietary software, computer users must agree (usually by signing a license displayed when that software is first run) that they will not do anything with the software that the software's authors have not expressly authorized . Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop are examples of proprietary software. Open source software is different. Its authors make its source code available to anyone who wishes to view this code, copy it, learn from it, modify it or share it. LibreOffice and the GNU image manipulation program are examples of open source software. As with proprietary software, users must.