...Software development is an industry still in its infancy. Developing operating systems, the essential program for any computer system, is still evolving as the industry continues to grow. Software development has a unique attribute that sets it apart from other industries. Software can be developed once and then replicated for virtually no cost to be distributed to end users. All operating systems currently on the market have been created as a result of open- or closed-source software development. The major difference between the two development philosophies is the privacy of the source code, particularly whether or not it is available to the public for evaluation, modification, and redistribution. Closed-source operating systems like Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s Mac OS are more widely used in homes and businesses desktop and laptop computers. Although not as readily adopted, open-source operating systems offer viable alternatives to closed-source. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages associated with them. Closed-source software development more closely resembles the business philosophy used by other industries. Closed-source operating systems are developed by an individual, or team, and made available for purchase to the public. The source-code, however, is never revealed to the public. The product purchased is merely an executable file. The final product cannot legally be modified, sold, or distributed without permission from the copyright owner. In essence, purchasing...
Words: 1197 - Pages: 5
...Open and Closed Source Systems For this paper, I choose option 2, which is to explain and compare Open and Closed source systems. Software is identified in two forms, source and binary. Source is the form in which users write software. This is where Open and Closed source systems/software come in. While they both deal with the way systems are accessed, and the software, and the rights and restrictions of that software, they are complete opposites when it comes to what each (Open and Closed) does and protects. Open Source systems and software are those in which the software has no real restrictions on what a user may do with the software. The most common names for Open source systems are free software, Public Domain Software, GNU software and copylefted software. When this type of system or software was first brought to the public most commercial software vendors and users ignored it, claiming it was a fad, and would quickly disappear. Unfortunate for them, Open source systems and software have actually become one of the most prevalent forms of software available to the public, and a lot of “techie” companies and users use it, due to the fact that the source code is open, therefore, the software can be changed and used as the user sees fit. Closed source systems and software are the complete opposite of the Open source systems and software. Closed source systems and software that is sold by commercial vendors and users is sold with the source closed, and in binary form, hence...
Words: 532 - Pages: 3
...Closed and Open Source There are a lot of things that go into a practical and an efficient operating system; one of which consist of a closed and an open source. To understand the sources of an operating system, it is best to find out and figure out what closed and open source is. Closed and Open source can be a disadvantage or an advantage of software development and cost sharing. The initial step is to recognize what it means to have a closed or open system, and what components are needed and will make up the requirement for software or an application to function. With both closed and open sources functioning differently as to how the system is programmed and structured and how the system will function within a software application or program. OPEN SOURCE Operating systems of an open source can be defined as free software developed by corporations or individuals to develop an alternate to not having to rely on any individual or one company to modify or change the software and maximize its used for the individuals or companies' advantages. Open source are typically free to use by each individual or companies to modify and changed without having to worry about the licensing and compliance to the original developer of the software being used. These are the advantages to an open source system. * Unlimited Community Support: With the public support, the alteration and transformation of the system is more frequently, more elaborating on time to develop a greater...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
...Introduction To Open Source – Open source media means media software with no restrictions There are open source forms of media and closed source forms of media. Open source has been growing more and more rapidly in the past decade as most forms of media we have discussed in class on Friday mornings. With an open source form of media software, programmers share their codes freely in order to be modified and used by others. They are allowed to alter and change software with improved features. For open source programs to be reliable, licensing has to be approved by Open Source Initiative, which is a corporation that certifies shares and promotes open source software. Where Open Source Came From Open Source began with the Hacker’s society of the United States computer science lab in Stanford MIT in the late 1960’s. It was a collective were members shared their code with other members. This would allow members to use each other’s knowledge to improve their own interest. In the 1980’s the Hackers Society began to fall apart after the members were hired by commercial companies to produce systems that required users to purchase a license in order to use them. Later they left those commercial companies and recreated the hackers’ society. One of the first open source systems was a Unix compatible operating system named GNU by Richard Stallman. What The Open Source Is Open source is similar to “free software”, but the open-source users are generally able...
Words: 1941 - Pages: 8
...Open and Closed Source Systems Students Name POS/355 Date Instructors Name Open and Closed Source Systems Open and closed sources is a term that not many people know the difference. According to Damicon (2003-2009), “True-open-source development requires that a community of software engineers band together to work on the software.” What the company is stating is the more minds are used to develop the software the better it will be. Now a closed source is a little different. “Closed-source programs are owned by someone (or some organization) and distributed through a variety of retail channels including the owner's website Damicon (2003-2009).” Basically a closed source is the complete opposite of an open source. Now that the two are clearly defined to a better understanding users will be able to tell the difference. Open sources are gathering of many users and putting the knowledge and experiences that they have obtained over the years and used to make software. Like the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one (Two heads better than one 2014).” Typically open sources are free of charge and can easily be download. For example most people have at least either downloaded one of these browsers; Goggle Chrome, Firefox, Java, or BitTorrent. There are many more open source systems, but these that were just mention can be installed in MAC OS, Microsoft Windows, and LINUX. The positive about having open source is that it is able to be customized to the users liking and can...
Words: 770 - Pages: 4
...Closed Source Vs Open Source Pao Yang POS/335 03/06/2013 Mr. STERNIERI Closed Source Vs Open Source In the world of operating system we have two options to choose from these is Unix/Linux which is an open source, meaning that its source code made available and licensed with an open source license in which the copyright holder provides the rights to study change and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose. The other option is the closed source such as Microsoft’s Window which is software released or distributed without the corresponding source code. Generally, it means only the binaries of a computer program are distributed and the license provides no access to the program's source code. The source code of such programs might be regarded as a trade secret of the company. Access to source code by third parties commonly requires the party to sign a non-disclosure agreement. I also will like to discuss what source codes are and why having the right combination will give us free bees. What some of the major differences between an open source and a closed source? I see it all over the internet the heated debate of which is better open source or closed source and even though both sides have good supporting evidence to back up their claim about every from which is more secured to who has the better functional software. The argument of Windows vs. Linux is a greatly debated one, and in recent years has become quite heated. Because Microsoft's attempt to recover...
Words: 1283 - Pages: 6
...vs Open Source versus Closed Source Open Source versus Closed Source There are basically two types of operating systems when it comes to how the code is handled. These are open source operating systems and closed source operating systems. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but they both have situations and areas that they work best in. Open source isn’t for everyone, and neither is closed source. It’s always better to have both sides available so there is some variety. Open source and closed source operating systems have are completely different, almost like night and day. Closed source operating systems like Microsoft Windows, for example, are developed by an individual or a company. The final product is available to run on a system, however all the source code, the recipe for the operating system, is kept secret and no one except the developers have access to it. The closed source operating system is exactly the opposite, because the source code is made readily available to the user, and if they have programming knowledge, they can debug it and tweak it into their own style. Basically they can personalize it to fit what suits them and their needs. Closed source operating systems, such as Windows can definitely meet the needs in a market. Because people pay for closed source operating systems, they can be guaranteed to get documentation and support for the software. One bad thing about closed source software is that developers often rush it...
Words: 668 - Pages: 3
...Open/Closed Source Heidi Mitchum POS 355 May 6, 2013 Michele Gamberutti Open/Closed Source The background behind an operating system stems into different branches of a tree. There are many items that go into a functional operating system. One of which includes open and closed source. To understand what may be a source for an operating system is the first step to understand what an open or closed source is. Even though at times it can be a wasteful effort, open/closed sources can be an advantage of cost sharing and software development. First it is a good idea to find out what it means to have a open or closed source system, meaning components that make up the functions needed for an application or software. With both open and closed working very differently as to how the system is developed and how they run within a software program or application. Each of these sources will be discussed. Open source systems are typical used for everyone to see and for anyone to use, and this is why the name is open. There are advantages to having an open source system which include: • Larger Development Support – Giving a large support system the developers feel as though they can make changed when and where every needed (Vidal, 2013). • Customizable – Having full control of the system gives developers a sense of control to make changes to the programs for advancement in all areas (Vidal, 2013). • Security – Having two eyes is better than one, having more security...
Words: 996 - Pages: 4
...OPEN-SOURCE MOVEMENT AND THE FUTURE ITSU1003 INTRODUCTION TO OPEN-SOURCE Generally computer software sources (the human readable version of the software) are of two kinds; closed and open. Open-source programming has been prominently growing in the past ten years. In this model, programmers share their codes freely in order to be modified and used by others. They are allowed to alter and change the original software as much as they like. This in turn will produce higher quality software with improved features. For the open-source programs to be reliable, some sort of licenses has been approved by Open Source Initiative (OSI) which is a “non-profit corporation dedicated to managing and promoting the open-source definition for the good of the community, especially through the OSI Certified Open-source software certification mark and program.” HISTORY OF OPEN-SOURCE Open-source began to form in the hacker’s society of the United States computer science laboratories such as Stanford and MIT in the late 1960’s. Programmers were members of societies in which each member was expected to share his or her code among the society members. This would apply improvements on different codes by members of the society. In addition, programmers were able to use each other’s knowledge in their own interest mutually. By the early 1980’s the university hacker societies began to collapse, and the hackers were hired by commercial companies producing proprietary systems (systems that required...
Words: 1851 - Pages: 8
...Open Source vs. Closed Source Open source and Closed source, two topics that have become quite the buzz in the world Information Technology (IT). Chances are, if you work in IT, you will eventually be faced with having to decide on witch of these technologies you will have to go with when planning for an upgrade or new IT system implementation. Before choosing which technology to go with we as IT professionals must first understand the difference between the two as well as carefully weight the benefits and disadvantages of each solution. An Open Source Operating system refers to software whose source code, the medium in which programmers create and modify software, is freely available on the Internet; whereas, by contrast the closed source code for proprietary commercial software is usually a closely guarded secret and is not available to the public. (Crooke, 2012) Notable open source operating systems include Android and Linux. Notable Closed source OS include Apple iOS. The two major benefit of using an Open source software is that the software is distributed under a variety of licensing terms, but almost all have two things in common: the software can be used without paying a license fee, and anyone can modify the software to add capabilities not envisaged by its originators. (Crooke, 2012) These benefit help to lower cost of products as well as offer customers the ability to customize platforms as needed to meeting business needs. The disadvantage that is associated...
Words: 803 - Pages: 4
...Open and Closed Source Operating System Comparison POS-355 Open and Closed Source Operating System Comparison Open and Closed Source are the two model of how most software is distributed. The open source code is that exactly, free open-sourced code. Meaning the core functions of the written code are given to a potential developer and that developer is able to manipulate, add to, or change any of the functions of the code. This holds true from the basic core functions or the code to small additional code snippets. FOSS or free and open source software do not typically limit or inhibit the use of the software. However with all of this free distribution, there can be some open sourced software that might have license-based restrictions or redistribution. These restrictions are not overwhelming though. The software can be re-distributed for free, after a developer has modified the code, as long as credit is given to the original manufacturer. FOSS also allows for the code to be modified and then re-compiled, so it can be sold as a complete project. Some examples of this type of re-distribution is Red Hat Inc. Red Hat Inc. takes different pieces of code, pieces it together into a really nice and user friendly interface, and then Red Hat re-distributes this re-compiled code as Red Hat Linux. There have many different flavors and iterations, but as long as Red Hat gives credit in the development to the originally creator, there is no problem with Red Hat re-distributing this...
Words: 844 - Pages: 4
...Open Source and Closed Source Operating Systems POS/355 Jim W November 3, 2013 History repeats once again and proves that the saying, (two heads are better than one) continues to be true! The movement for the collaboration of the thinkers, inventors, and creators; to come together and share ideas and concepts that advance the development of mature and immature open source code is here to stay. The original hackers from the 1950’s (computer enthusiasts’) at MIT’s Tech Railroad Club left their programs in drawers for others to work on. This concept of sharing and developing source code for a wide range of functionality continues to enable programmers and students to use source code as a learning tool that sparks worldwide innovation! Open Source operating systems are usually free OS’s that can be manipulated via the source code format rather than the compiled binary code format, which is only available by closed source code. There are quite a few different open source code providers with the three most popular being GNU/Linux, BSD UNIX, and Solaris. Not only did the GNU/Linux open source operating system serve the standard OS features and function, it also produced many UNIX-compatible tools, including utilities, compilers and editors, but never released a kernel. The advantage of collaboration of the open source OS, Linus Torvalds, a student from Finland released a rudimentary UNIX-like kernel using the GNU compilers and tools and invented contributions worldwide. This...
Words: 716 - Pages: 3
...is a software program that operates and manages computer hardware and software components. An operating system can be categorized either as an open source operating system or a closed operating system on the basis of the source code availability for alteration and modification. An operating system that copies the source code into the system when operating installed whereas a closed operating system does not allow viewing, modifying, or updating the source, it only installs the executable files when this operating system is installed into any of the operating systems. Examples of open source operating systems are Linux, UNIX etc., and closed operating systems examples are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X etc. Open source and closed source operating systems comparison Open-source operating will allow access to the source code by the users and programmers to make alterations. As source code is available in the public he person who has programming skills can read the source code and modify the code or here she can add some advanced functions in the existing operating system which can debug the code. In most cases new versions of the open source operating systems are introduced by the Open Source community programmers that debug the product for a special reason and make your own personalized version of the product. Possibilities in the personalize open-source product are limitless. As open-source product is debugged by numerous users worldwide, so open-source...
Words: 883 - Pages: 4
...Systems: Open or Closed Source Donald C. Dodd POS 355 06/09/2014 Dr. Bruce Huang Operating Systems: Open or Closed Source One of the biggest questions when choosing an operating system is whether it is free or not. Let’s face it cost face it cost is always going to be part of a deciding factor when it comes to making a decision in business. And free always sounds good but usual comes with some type of string attached. In this paper I will discuss what are open and closed source operating systems (better known as OS) and how they differ. As well I will discuss some of what you can expect and what not to expect from open and closed operating systems. And lastly I will give examples of each a closed and open OS. OS is often confused with things like word and excel but those are really applications that run within an OS. These applications are members of the Microsoft Office suite that is compatible with the Windows OS. The windows OS is an example of a closed operating system. What is a closed OS? A closed OS is an OS that the source code is kept private. Closed OS’s are typically made by one company and only the final product is made public. (You will see beta versions but typically these are close to final products). With closed OS’s you need to by licensing to make it work, without a valid license the OS may become inoperable thus rendering your computer useless when the companies “trail” period ends (usual within 30 days of installation). After purchasing closed software...
Words: 585 - Pages: 3
...proprietary closed source software, this software is copyrighted and exclusively owned by the person or company that had the software copyrighted. Users of the software are not allowed to make any changes to the software without the owners consent and must only use and obtain the software if a license is purchased from the owner or company. In some cases, this software can only run add on components from the proprietary owner. Owners also charge a price for their software, which is part of the licensing agreement with the perspective end user. Closed source software is also known to provide some type of technical support and warranty, which is part of the licensing agreement. So if the user is having problems or experience some type of malfunction, they are guaranteed to receive some type of assistance should a problem arise. Open Source software on the other hand is not licensed exclusively under the same rights as closed sourced program. This type of software is available under a free license that allow others to do further research on the software as well as making modifications to it. Since it is under a free license the software is normally free of charge for users. Open source software can also be distributed through various forms compared to the restricted distribution of close source software. Open source software is also not under any type of warranty as the software is free. So if a user happens to have some type of malfunction with open source software, they are...
Words: 554 - Pages: 3
