Homework

  1. Describe the key differences between the Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal, Open Source MIT License, and Open Source GPL License.
  • The key differences between the three liscences are:
    • Creative Commons: Allows anyone to use the work of the creator - waves any and all copyright related to it and places it firmly in public domain
    • Open Source MIT: Allows creators to share the work but still protects creators copyright - users have to reference the copyright in their software and include the liscence. Few but present restrictions
    • Open Source GPL License: Allows users to use the work without restriction but with the rule that if they make a modified version they have to also distribute it open source. Designed for prolonged software freedom.
  1. Give examples that illustrate how companies, such as Qualcomm and Red Hat, have leveraged Open Source licenses to establish unique business models.
  • Companies like Qualcomm use Open Source with royalty payments to gain revenue from users making use of their patented code. An example of that is their CDMA and LTE technology that is highly used in mobile phones and products.
  • Companies like RedHat offer open source on their products like RHEL but monetize it by subscription, also giving customers updates and support for enterprise.
  1. Why are businesses that heavily rely on Open Source software still need to generate income and how they manage this within the constraints of Open Source licenses.
  • They can do this in the ways listed above - namely Royalty payments and monetizing via subscriptions. They can also offer custom development for specific product needs or integration support for integrating code into a companies larger system.

Extra Credit

Explain the significance of choosing an appropriate license for personal and team GitHub repositories, especially for the CPT project. How does this relate to the broader themes of legal and ethical concerns in computing?

  • Choosing appropriate liscences is essential to stay legal when using someone else’s code - especially if you’re using liscences like GPLs, and protects the intellectual properties of its creators using that. It also encourages collaboration between creators and ensures you stay morally correct. For the CPT project, it will ensure CB doesn’t disqualify you for plagarizing other peoples’ work.