Scribd
Upload
3 views9 pages

Principles of Open Source Computing

The document outlines the principles of open source computing, emphasizing transparency, participation, collaboration, and user rights to modify and redistribute source code. It discusses various types of licenses, including copyleft, which ensures user freedom while imposing certain conditions on derivative works. Additionally, it covers the concept of patents as a form of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of inventions.

Uploaded by

Asme
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
3 views9 pages

Principles of Open Source Computing

The document outlines the principles of open source computing, emphasizing transparency, participation, collaboration, and user rights to modify and redistribute source code. It discusses various types of licenses, including copyleft, which ensures user freedom while imposing certain conditions on derivative works. Additionally, it covers the concept of patents as a form of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of inventions.

Uploaded by

Asme
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

O pen S o urc e Computing

Chapter 2 – Principles of Open Source Computing

Asmelash G.
Department of Information Technology
Principles of Open Source Computing

• The basic principles are:


• Transparency
• Participation
• Collaboration
• Access to source code
• Rights to modify
• Freedom to redistribute

2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 2


License and Types of License

• License is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the
document of that permission or permit).

• A license can be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement


between those parties.

• Types of License: BSD, GPL, LGPL, MPL, Apache, MIT, etc


• Read more to understand each of them.

2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 3


Copyright and Copyleft

• A copyright is a legal right bestowed • Copyleft licenses exist within the


upon creators of original works to legal structure of copyrights.
dictate how those works can or • Copyleft licenses are a subset of
cannot be copied, modified, and copyright licenses, and the goal is
distributed by others. to restore freedom to users.
• The main idea behind copyright is • In copyleft, users should have the
that creators restrict what others right to freely use, copy, modify,
can or cannot do with their works and distribute works
and must grant individual • However, all derivative works must
permission to do otherwise. offer the same freedoms to users.

2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 4


Copyright and Copyleft…

2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 5


Copyleft
• Copyleft is about user freedom
• Copyleft is more than just permission
• A copyleft license isn’t the same thing as a permissive license, which grants users the freedom to
do ANYTHING they want.
• Copyleft licenses still impose some demands.

• Copyleft isn’t always free


• To reiterate, a copyleft license is defined by two main aspects:
• The freedom for users to modify and distribute derivative works
• The “share-alike” clause that maintains freedom in derivative works
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a good practical example of this.

2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 6


Patents

• A patent is a form of intellectual property.


• A patent gives its owner the right to exclude others from making,
using, selling, and importing an invention for a limited period of time,
usually twenty years.
• The patent rights are granted in exchange for an enabling public
disclosure of the invention.
• In most countries patent rights fall under civil law
• In some industries patents are an essential form of competitive
advantage; in others they are irrelevant.
2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 7
Patents…

2019-04-15 IT4208 Open Source Computing 8


The End ☺

You might also like