What is Free or Open Source Software ?
This is a term used for
software distributed with the full source code, and under a licence
that allows the software to be modified and redistributed. Free
refers to freedom not necessarily price. Free Software provides the
freedoms to
- run the program, for any purpose.
- study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs.
- redistribute copies.
- improve the program, and release your improvements to the
public, so that the whole community benefits.
Is the Open Source approach any better ?
Yes, it has many advantages: It eliminates recurrent licensing
costs. It levels the playing field so that smaller firms can
compete for projects. It has upfront Escrow as the source code is
available before anything goes wrong. It allows independent
verification of functionality and security. It avoids the problems
associated with vendor lock-in and being forced to wait for vendor
upgrade cycles.
What is Linux ?
Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created in
1991 by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers around the
world. It has evolved since then to take account of technological
advances as they emerge, PCI-Bus, SCSI and DVD Ram. Linux has many
advantages. It is extremely reliable; it conforms to open
standards; it is free; it is not dependent on a single supplier; it
is simple to integrate; it talks natively to Apple, Windows, Unix
and mainframe operating systems; it is portable; and it can be
scaled to symmetric processors and clusters.
What is the role of the British Computer Society
?
The British Computer Society is the Chartered Engineering
Institution for the Information Systems profession.The BCS sets and
maintains the highest standards of professionalism and assists
individuals to improve their skills throughout their careers
What are the BCS Codes of Conduct and Good Practice ?
Members of the BCS agree to meet certain duties and
responsibilities towards the public, the profession, employers and
customers. These are set out in the BCS Codes of Conduct and Good
Practice.
The
BCS Code of Conduct covers duties of care, conflicts of interest,
competence, confidentiality and legal compliance.
The
Code of Good Practice is issued under the provisions of the BCS
Royal Charter. It encourages awareness and understanding of issues
relating to the field of Information Systems.
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