What are the advantages and disadvantages of Operating Systems?

Open source software is described in Kavanagh’s ‘Open Source Software: Implementation and management’ (2004) as ‘software that must be distributed with source code included or easily available, such as by free download from the internet. The License of this software will not restrict others from disrupting the code or modifications and derived works under the same terms.

In simpler terms, open source software allows anyone to create and or edit on software that already exists.

Users of open software are at an advantage as they are able to control and understand technology rather than being controlled by technology or software makers. For example, Android apps are open and free to be developed by members of the public whereas iPhone apps cost money to be developed and users will have to pay to use it as they are copy right restricted. As android is not regulated, their apps can be subject to viruses and bugs. However, improvements can be made on an android app by members of the public. Once an iphone app has been developed, it is rarely edited or re created.

Copy left is helpful to recognized programme developers as it allows users to help in developing it, whilst stopping people from copying and closing off the source codes and passing it off as their own.

However, operating systems such as Wikipedia can cause problems because it is part of user generated content and is not regulated. The fact that anyone can come and edit information means that the information provided may not always be correct