Free computer software programs are such kind of programs which can be hackneyed or strewn by the public without any lawfulboundaries. Legally, it is essential to have a software license and consumer agreement in order to maneuver it on the computer. Not for free or a proprietary software program encloses always with individual registration along with activation code passed by individual authority that have purchased the software. This registration key works with finicky copy of the software. First of all you should know the difference between freeware and shareware software programs. These shareware software programs can be utilized free of cost for a set of period.
Free Software Versus Open Source - Is There A Difference?
Generally speaking free software and open source are seen as the same thing. The reason is because both are free to download and for the most part free to use. The reality is that the free software movement and the open source movement are a bit different.
Free software is software that is free in every sense of the word. Many languages have two words for free. One meaning that it is free as in no cost. The other meaning it's free as in free to use and do with as you please. The free software movement holds both of these as being true. When you download a piece of free software, it doesn't cost anything and it's free to study, change, and use. The only catch is that if you make improvements it's suggested you share those improvements with others.
Free software is software that is free in every sense of the word. Many languages have two words for free. One meaning that it is free as in no cost. The other meaning it's free as in free to use and do with as you please. The free software movement holds both of these as being true. When you download a piece of free software, it doesn't cost anything and it's free to study, change, and use. The only catch is that if you make improvements it's suggested you share those improvements with others.
Is Open Source a Synonym for Free Software ?
The market for open source and free software is surging high with its
appreciation in mainstream segment also. The free software products
like Linux or others are moving from the walled boundaries of servers to
desktops and laptops. Recently, launched Ultra low cost laptops were
supported on Linux and that came as a major breakthrough for it to
garner some spotlight from tech analysts.
But still the concept of free software and open source software is not clear with many of us. We are confused at the basic level and interchanging the terms for each other. We use the terms Free Source and Open Source interchangeably and get them confused with the concept that they are available for free.
To some extent the concept gels with what we consider "available for free" but not in complete sense. The word "free" is basically the misnomer. We confuse it with "free burgers" but it should be considered for "free speech". No doubt that some softwares from both the communities are available for free of cost and are offered as free downloads but not all utilities.
The two communities working with the aim of offering freedom to developers are working in the same direction but are literally and fundamentally different in their approaches. Till 1998, they were more or less same but after that the two movements separated with a different prospective, a different philosophy, and different motives.
The commonality in both the approaches is the open availability of source code to developers but the aim backing this approach is different with both the communities.
Where Free Software Community lays stress on providing source
code to developers with the aim that user is free to do what he wish
with the software's source code. It is more philosophical in nature.
However,
Open Source believes in offering source code to users with the aim that
collaborative efforts can bring more subtle results. It has motivation
that users can freely provide their suggestions for the source code and
can append it to the existing one if results provided are efficient
enough.
Both the communities lay stress on redistribution of code with no restrictions but the principles and motivations are different.
Where
one seeks the liberty provided to users; the other targets the
development of more efficient software programs with collaborative
approach. Against the philosophical methodology of Free Software
Community, the Open Source Community is driven by more practical
reasons.
To some
years the movements were working as a common alliance and Open Source
was used as a marketing term for free software to reduce the ambiguity;
but to worst it added more problems. So finally the two movements parted
and started their own way.
Where the software developed
by open source are more or less fits to zero-cost category, nothing
like that can be defined for free software. To define it better, nothing
which is free of cost can be a tailored fit for both the communities
but cannot be turned off even.
Open Source is opposite to original context of Free Software. Free Software aims the freedom of users but Open Source aims the collaborative approach. The former stresses that users can freely see, modify and redistribute the code but latter has the approach that users can see the code but cannot modify it to suit its needs. In OSS, the liberty availed is in accordance of specific licensing agreements allowing one to fiddle with the code.
Free Software values freedom offered to users but Open Source believes in team development of software. Where one can be attached to social movement, the other is a development methodology. Both are against the patents and proprietary software, but cannot go hand in hand due to disagreement on certain principles.
To ask you, is GNU/ Linux is a free software or open source software? Cannot answer surely; Linux is not an open source software but a product of free software community (as you are free to make modifications).
At crux, it can be said that both are different movements with differing principles but are fighting against the common objective "Proprietary Software".
Open Source is opposite to original context of Free Software. Free Software aims the freedom of users but Open Source aims the collaborative approach. The former stresses that users can freely see, modify and redistribute the code but latter has the approach that users can see the code but cannot modify it to suit its needs. In OSS, the liberty availed is in accordance of specific licensing agreements allowing one to fiddle with the code.
Free Software values freedom offered to users but Open Source believes in team development of software. Where one can be attached to social movement, the other is a development methodology. Both are against the patents and proprietary software, but cannot go hand in hand due to disagreement on certain principles.
To ask you, is GNU/ Linux is a free software or open source software? Cannot answer surely; Linux is not an open source software but a product of free software community (as you are free to make modifications).
At crux, it can be said that both are different movements with differing principles but are fighting against the common objective "Proprietary Software".
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Author: jaya sinha - About the Author:For details visit http://www.itvoir.com
Free software (Part 2)
Free software and Software in Public Domain
Free
software is different from software in public domain. The first, when
used in combination with typical (as the licenses GPL and BSD) licenses,
it guarantees the authorship of the desenvolvedor or organization. The
second case happens when the years pass foreseen in the laws of each
country of protection of the author's rights and east becomes very
common. Nevertheless, a software in public domain can be considered as a
free software.
Free software and Copyleft
Licenses
as GPL contain an additional concept, known like Copyleft, that bases
on the propagation of the rights. A free software without copyleft can
be turned no-free for an user, case wants like this him/it. Already a
free software protected by a license that offers copyleft, if
distributed, it should be under the same license, in other words,
reviewing the rights.
Associating the copyleft concepts and free
software, programs and derived services of a free code obligatorily
should stay with a free (the details of which you program, which
services and which licenses are defined for the original license of the
program) license. The user, however, it stays with the possibility of
not to distribute the program and to maintain the modifications or
services used for itself own.
Sale of Free Software
The licenses of free software allow them to be sold, but these in his/her great majority are available gratuitously.
Once
the buyer of the free software is entitled to the four striped
freedoms, he could redistribute this software gratuitously or for a
smaller price than that that paid.
As example could mention Red
Hat Enterprise Linux that is marketed by Red Hat, starting from him,
several clones were created as CentOS that can be lowered gratuitously.
A
lot of companies opt to distribute the same product on two or more
licenses, usually one on a license copyleft and free like GPL and
another on a license landlady and he/she pays. Another very common
difference is that the versions pay usually accompany some type of
additional service, as right to it supports technician, for instance.
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Author: Luis Miguel - About the Author:
Luis miguel love software especially the POS Software system. Visit this at POS Software system and see the Pos Software Free Software (Part 1)
Free software, according to the definition created by Free Software
Foundation is any computer program that can be used, copied, studied and
redistributed with some restrictions. The freedom of such guidelines is
central to the concept, which is opposed to software proprietor's
concept, but not to the software that is sold longing for profit
(commercial software). The usual way of distribution of free software is
to enclose to this a license of free software, and to turn the code
source of the available program.
Definition
A software
is considered as free when he/she assists to the four types of freedom
for the users of the software defined by Free Software Foundation:
* The freedom to execute the program, for any purpose (freedom no. 0);
*
The freedom of studying as the program works, and to adapt him/it for
their needs (freedom no. 1). I access to the code-source is a
prerequisite for this freedom;
* The freedom of redistributing, besides to sell, copies so that you can help to his/her close one (freedom no. 2);
*
The freedom of modifying the program, and to liberate these
modifications, so that the whole community benefits (freedom no. 3). I
access to the code-source is a prerequisite for this freedom;
The
freedom of executing the program means the freedom for any natural
person type or juridical to use the software in how many machines he/she
wants, in any type of system computacional, for any work type or
activity, without any restriction imposed by the supplier.
The
freedom of redistributing the compiled program, that is in binary
format, necessarily includes the compulsory nature of making available
their code-source. In case the software comes to be modified and the
author of the modification wants to distribute him/it, gratuitously or
no, it will also be obligatory the distribution of the code source of
the modifications, since they come to integrate the program. It is not
necessary the author's authorization or of the distributor of the
software so that he can be redistributed, since the software licenses
liberate allow like this him/it.
So that it is possible to study or to modify the software (for
private use or to distribute) is necessary to have access to the
code-source. Therefore the readiness of those files is prerequisite for
the freedom of the software. Each license determines how it will be made
the supply of the code source for typical distributions, as it is only
the case of distributions in portable media with the binary codes
concluded (without the source) already. In the case of the license GPL,
the source should be made available at place from where can be accessed,
or it should be given to the user, if requested, without additional
(except transport and media) costs.
For those freedoms to be real,
they should be irrevocable. In case the desenvolvedor of the software
has the power to revoke the license, the software is not free.
Most of the free softwares is licensed through a license of free software, as to GNU GPL, the more acquaintance.
Author: Luis Miguel - About the Author:
Luis miguel love software especially the POS Software system. Visit this at POS Software system and see the Pos SoftwareAuthorised and Unauthorised Software
The bigger your business is, the harder it can sometimes be to keep an eye on what’s happening with your software.
All businesses need software for their computers; the type and amount of software programs required depends largely on the type of business being run and how large it is. But regardless of these issues the problem of whether your software is authorised or unauthorised can rear its ugly head in any business, and it’s important to have adequate measures in place to ensure that any problems associated with unauthorised software are kept to a minimum.
Many employees don’t recognise the problems that can occur when unauthorised software is introduced into the system. Of course the most pressing issue is that of keeping within the law; keeping a copy of the software locked up safely in your software library is perfectly acceptable, but installing that same software on half a dozen computers in a single office is most certainly not.
Unfortunately some employees are naïve when it comes to this kind of breach. It can be worth amending the staff handbook or guidebook to ensure that guidelines and advice regarding such matters are included there for them to read. Department memos and perhaps even training sessions to help raise awareness of these issues can also help to bring people in line with what’s required by law, and what’s required by the company as a whole.
Of course some employees will assume that they are doing the company a favor by using software in inappropriate ways. Why purchase more copies than you really need when one or two copies can be used to install the program throughout an entire office? Employees that take this line of thinking assume they are doing a good thing by saving the company money – not thinking ahead to the possible fines and fees associated with being caught.
The other main problem associated with using unauthorised software is the risk of introducing viruses and other unwanted ‘hangers on’ into the business systems. If an employee brings a copy of some software they have at home, or worse, accesses it from the internet, they are putting the safety of the whole company at risk.
It’s plain to see that using authorised software is the only safe and legal route to making sure you get the best from your computer system. The challenge is in making sure all staff members recognise and accept this same fact, and don’t do anything to jeopardise it.
All businesses need software for their computers; the type and amount of software programs required depends largely on the type of business being run and how large it is. But regardless of these issues the problem of whether your software is authorised or unauthorised can rear its ugly head in any business, and it’s important to have adequate measures in place to ensure that any problems associated with unauthorised software are kept to a minimum.
Many employees don’t recognise the problems that can occur when unauthorised software is introduced into the system. Of course the most pressing issue is that of keeping within the law; keeping a copy of the software locked up safely in your software library is perfectly acceptable, but installing that same software on half a dozen computers in a single office is most certainly not.
Unfortunately some employees are naïve when it comes to this kind of breach. It can be worth amending the staff handbook or guidebook to ensure that guidelines and advice regarding such matters are included there for them to read. Department memos and perhaps even training sessions to help raise awareness of these issues can also help to bring people in line with what’s required by law, and what’s required by the company as a whole.
Of course some employees will assume that they are doing the company a favor by using software in inappropriate ways. Why purchase more copies than you really need when one or two copies can be used to install the program throughout an entire office? Employees that take this line of thinking assume they are doing a good thing by saving the company money – not thinking ahead to the possible fines and fees associated with being caught.
The other main problem associated with using unauthorised software is the risk of introducing viruses and other unwanted ‘hangers on’ into the business systems. If an employee brings a copy of some software they have at home, or worse, accesses it from the internet, they are putting the safety of the whole company at risk.
It’s plain to see that using authorised software is the only safe and legal route to making sure you get the best from your computer system. The challenge is in making sure all staff members recognise and accept this same fact, and don’t do anything to jeopardise it.
Jane Smith shares practical business IT solutions for medium to large sized organisations. To activate your business with the power of IT, please visit http://www.bmc.com/en_SG/
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