On Tuesday night, we learned about operating systems - the most frequently used type of system software. The operating system has five basic functions: (1) user interface, (2) resource management, (3) task management, (4) file management, and (5) utilities, performance monitors and security monitors. Personally, I highly prefer using Windows because it is so familiar and easy to use. I haven't used Unix or Linux before, and I actually have a Mac laptop, which I installed Windows on because I found the Mac software kind of difficult to use.
We also talked about OSS (open source software), which basically makes software available to programmers to remove bugs, add new features and streamline operations. Professor Tuggle emphasized the fact that OSS has millions of programmers who produce improvements, not for the money, but out of their needs.
I'm not sure if i'm interpreting OSS correctly, but are the various applications that users create for Facebook and the iPod/iPhone examples of OSS? I know on Facebook, pretty much anyone can create a program or application that other users can download and add to their page - stuff like Top Friends, My Courses, Music Players, Bumper Stickers, Games, etc. And whenever I click to add one of these applications, I always am first re-directed to an EULA (end-user license agreement) that says Facebook is not liable for the program or content because it is created by an outside creator or something to that effect...
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Jennifer:
ReplyDeleteNo, those are NOT examples of OSS. In OSS, you actually get the source code (e.g, language instructions written in a higher level language like Java or C++).
The apps you use on the iPhone or Facebook, you only get the object code (strings of 0s and 1s).
They're apps, not Open Source Software....
For "fun," check out the Apache Foundation--they supply OSS web server software...
Doug