Lesson 1: Assets

Concerns with Software Assets: Source Availability

To understand source availability concerns, let's briefly examine a key difference between two of the major operating systems, Windows and Linux. Perhaps the greatest difference, and one from which all other differences arise, is that Windows is a closed source, or proprietary, piece of software, whereas Linux is open source, and freely available to the public.

What does this mean? Essentially, only Microsoft has the actual source code to their Windows operating systems. It would be virtually impossible for the average developer to attempt to alter or customize the actual source code. When a problem is identified, the Microsoft team develops a "fix" or "patch" and distributes it.

The source code for Linux, on the other hand, is available to the public for peer review. When a person discovers a problem with the source code, he or she makes it known to the public, and developers from virtually around the world work to fix the problem.

Existing arguments for open vs. closed source code.