Open Source Starter
  • Firstly, for the truly unknowing, what is Software?
    • Software is computer data that turns switches on & off (millions to trillions of tiny switches)
    • Everything you do on a computer is controlled by software
    • Enough switches organised correctly allows a software program to fulfill its functions
    • Software is Source Code or Object Code? - So what is Source Code & Object Code?
      • The source code is the text code that is developed that when compiled into object code will do some task
      • Those tasks are controlled by turning switches on or off
      • This is what is known as virtual because the tasks are electrical constructs & not physical
      • Source code is basically human-readable code that makes sense to a human
      • Object code is basically computer-readable code that makes sense to a computer - usually compiled source code
    • The Operating System or OS is just software; think Windows, Apple or Linux
  • What is Proprietary Software (PS)?
    • PS is software that you can't see what it does because the source code is secret
    • Software that cannot be altered & is rarely if ever guaranteed to work; eg Windows ME & Vista
    • Possibility of backdoor programs (spyware from Govt & other agencies); truly "Big Brother"
    • Often has ongoing charges
  • What is Open Source Software (OSS)?
    • OSS is just software that you can see the source code if you want to
    • With OSS you are allowed to alter that source code if you want to but you must make that source available to all
    • OSS can be as brilliant as any PS you've ever used but it can be poorly written too
    • You are allowed to alter that source if you want to make it do something different or fix it if it has errors
    • Design phase can be re-done several times due to developer passion & minimal time constraints
      • Results in the possibility of better design
    • Usually more thoroughly tested than PS due to minimal time constraints
    • Often based on software that has been around for a long time
    • Often based on stable libraries that have been tested with many different softwares
    • Often free of charge & will often do exactly what you want it to do
    • Sometimes you may need several software programs for all the functions in the proprietary version
      • Sometimes functions are missing
      • Remember the purchase prices are usually very different