SCL 2: 1. What is open source software? In your opinion, why people prefer open source software over proprietary alternatives nowadays? Name top (fives) 5 most popular open source software and compare them with similar proprietary software (e.g. Open Office versus Microsoft Office).

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

1. What is open software?

Open-source software (OSS) is computer software with its  source  code made available to programmers who want to modify and improve the software  and  licensed.  

2. Why people prefer open source software over proprietary software?

People prefer open source software over proprietary alternatives because   the  software can be used in any way and for any legal purposes and there is no restriction in a unilateral way on how the software could be used. People have more control over that kind of software. They can examine the code to make sure it’s not doing anything they don’t want it to do, and they can change parts of it they don’t’ like. Users who aren’t programmers also benefit from open source software, because they can use this software for any purpose they wish-not merely the way someone else thinks they should. Some people prefer open source software because they consider it more secure and stable than proprietary software. Because anyone can view and modify open source software, someone might spot and correct errors or omissions that a program's original authors might have missed. Many users prefer open source software to proprietary software for important, long-term projects. Because the source code for open source software is distributed publicly, users that rely on software for critical tasks can be sure their tools won’t disappear or fall into disrepair if their original creators stop working on them.

The top 5 most popular open source software:

1.   Open Office

2.    Linux

3.    PDF
4.    Mozilla Firefox

5.    GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

OPEN SOURCE		TYPE OF SOFTWARE		PROPRIETARY  SOFTWARE
Open Office : ü  Free to download and install. ü  Bug reporting. ü  Updates as the developers fix bugs and add new features. ü  More compatible. ü  Able to save files into PDF format without additional software or plug-ins. ü  Able to open new files from any of the Open Office programs.		Office Suite		Microsoft Office : ü  Commonly use word processor. ü  Variety of functions available. ü  No corrupt and Auto recovery features.
LINUX : ü  Its  not   that hard to use. ü  Less viruses. ü  No crashes. ü  Can get help support on online. ü  Free software. ü  Runs on old machines.		OPERATING SYSTEM		Microsoft Windows : ü  Easy to use. ü  Available software. ü  Backwards compatibility. ü  Support for new hardware. ü  The competition in the area Plug & Play support for PC hardware. ü  A plethora of gaming titles are available for Windows. ü  Compatibility with MS driven websites .
SAMBA : ü  Free. ü  Open source. ü  Portable across multiple platforms. ü  Allows for easier networking of Windows workstations to computers running other platforms.		FILE AND PRINT SERVER		PDF : ü  Standard for sharing documents electronically. ü  Free. ü  The file is viewable of virtually any screen and printable on virtually any printer. ü  Can be used for any page size.
MOZILLA FIREFOX : ü  Ability to add certain features to the browser using the Plug-in. ü  Fast web page downloads. ü  Safe browsing. ü  Multi-tab feature. ü Private browsing.		WEB BROWSER		INTERNET EXPLORER: ü  Comes installed on computer. ü  Faster with Windows computers because it is integrated. ü  Some websites can only be used with Internet Explorer. ü  Universal. ü Some applications are optimized for IE.
GIMP : ü  Free. ü  Powerful and versatile. ü  Can open Photoshop files in GIMP. ü  Compatible with most operating system. ü  Support is easy available. ü  Easiest way to learn for beginners. ü  Easy to learn with video tutorials.	IMAGE EDITOR		ADOBE PHOTOSHOP: ü    Friendly interface. ü  High – tech coding ü  Huge numbers of features. ü  Adobe products are transferable between the different programs in its Creative Suite. ü  Amount of free education and support is available online.