Ware and Tear

A SYNTHESIS OF OPEN RESOURCE SOFTWARE, FREEWARE, AND SHAREWARE

What is Open Source Software?

Open source software (OSS) is coding created by a programmer for all people to access for modification and enhancement of software. This allows someone with coding knowledge to improve, change features, and fix software that is not working properly. OSS allows others the ability to view the source code, copy it, learn from it, and alter or share it after accepting terms of a license, in turn promoting collaboration.

What is Freeware?

Freeware is cost-free software under copyright that provides no restrictions on the number of times you can download or open the program, with no fees. Typically freeware is used for advertisement of a software or as an educational resource, but the software is limited by a locked source code.

What is Shareware?

Shareware is much like freeware with the caveat that it is for a limited time or trial period, where once that time period or number of uses has reached its limit, you must pay a fee to unlock the full potential of the software. There are many types of shareware as well.

Freemium - This typically refers to software that is free for basic feature use only.

Adware - which refers to advertisement supporting software for generating revenue.

Nagware - refers to pop ups or advertisements that continually remind the user for purchasing more features or upgrades

Demonware - refers to shareware with severe limitations for either a limited time, or there are major restrictions until you purchase the software.

Why is it Important?

In the information age, individuals have the ability to share resources through collaboration that allows people to guide their own learning, as well as driving innovation. Through our material this week, OSS, freeware, and shareware all hold a place in guiding the future of technology and educational resources, though I believe OSS and freeware allow for future benefits to the societal good. “With so much of our infrastructure and digital services today depending on those open source code projects, there is now a more compelling argument that Governments and public sector organizations now need to actively contribute to and support the open source model too,” (Handley, 2022).

Resources

1. Open Source AI

Works Cited

Handley, E. (2022, February 8). What is open source, and why does it matter today? Open Access Government. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/open-source-technology/129261/