Open Source Licensing - Software Freedom and Intellectual Property Law
'Open Source' implies a unique way of developing and licensing software.Raymond's Cathedral and the Bazaar explained the unique character of theOpen Source development model. Rosen's Open Source Licensing explainsthe unique character of the Open Source licensing model.SCO, with financial support from Microsoft, is engaged in a much-publicizedassault on Linux, and more generally, on the licensing model upon which allOpen Source software rests. In a recent filing in its case against IBM, SCOwrote: 'The GPL violates the U.S. Constitution, together with copyright,antitrust and export control laws.'And the implications are clear: at risk are not only the developers working onthe 68,000 Open Source projects active on SourceForge today, but also themillions of companies, schools, and organizations that deploy Open Sourcesoftware.All of this has generated a great deal of interest in the nature of Open Sourcelicenses, and the intellectual property law that underlies them.� What, exactly, are the legal underpinnings of Open Source?� Of the 40+ Open Source licenses, which are the most important, and why?� How does a developer choose which to use?� What are the risks--and obligations--to a business that deploys OpenSource.� What can you a business do in the event of a lawsuit?Cover quotes from Lessig, John Terpstra of Samba.org, and Stuart Cohen--theCEO of OSDL.
Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing
If you've held back from developing open source or free software projects because you don't understand the implications of the various licenses, you're not alone. Many developers believe in releasing their software freely, but have hesitated to do so because they're concerned about losing control over their software. Licensing issues are complicated, and both the facts and fallacies you hear word-of-mouth can add to the confusion. Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing helps you make sense of the different options available to you. This concise guide focuses on annotated licenses, offering an in-depth explanation of how they compare and interoperate, and how license choices affect project possibilities. Written in clear language that you don't have to be a lawyer to understand, the book answers such questions as: What rights am I giving up? How will my use of OS/FS licensing affect future users or future developers? Does a particular use of this software--such as combining it with proprietary software--leave me vulnerable to lawsuits? Following a quick look at copyright law, contracts, and the definition of 'open source,' the book tackles the spectrum of licensing, including:
* The MIT (or X), BSD, Apache and Academic Free licenses
* The GPL, LGPL, and Mozilla licenses
* The QT, Artistic, and Creative Commons licenses
* Classic Proprietary licenses
* Sun Community Source license and Microsoft Shared Source project
User Interface Design for Programmers
Most programmers' fear of user interface (UI) programming comes from their fear of doing UI design. They think that UI design is like graphic design--the mysterious process by which creative, latte-drinking, all-black-wearing people produce cool-looking, artistic pieces. Most programmers see themselves as analytic, logical thinkers instead--strong at reasoning, weak on artistic judgment, and incapable of doing UI design.
In this brilliantly readable book, author Joel Spolsky proposes simple, logical rules that can be applied without any artistic talent to improve any user interface, from traditional GUI applications to websites to consumer electronics. Spolky's primary axiom, the importance of bringing the program model in line with the user model, is both rational and simple.
In a fun and entertaining way, Spolky makes UI design easy for programmers to grasp. After reading User Interface Design for Programmers, you'll know how to design interfaces with the user in mind. You'll learn the important principles that underlie all good UI design, and you'll learn how to perform usability testing that works.
Free For All: How Linux and the Free Software Movement Undercut the High-Tech Titans
A revolution is sweeping the software world -- one that threatens to pull even the mighty Microsoft Corporation from its throne. Bill Gates and his company's rule over the software industry through their tight control of Microsoft Windows is facing their biggest challenge ever -- a new competitor that can't be bought, coopted, or manipulated with any of the traditional tools of corporate power. Its name:
Linux.
Free for All is the story of a group of dedicated software hackers from around the world who, in their spare time, created an 'open' operating system that rivals and in many ways surpasses Microsoft's.
Object-Oriented Software Composition
Over the part ten years, object-oriented technology has started to have a significant impact in industry. Despite its many positive aspects, there have been some problems in successfully applying the technology to large projects, and in achieving adequate levels of flexibilitly and software reuse. Based on the research of the Object Systems Group in Geneva, this book looks at a range of issues, from programming languages and systems through to tools, frameworks and methods. KEY FEATURES: Chapters are self-contained, with the development of ideas moving from programming language design issues to environments and applications. Aware of recent trends, the book examines the development of multimedia systems as an application domain. Up-to-date information on the activities of the Object Systems Group. The authors can be found on the World Wide Web.
Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge
Software engineering has not reached the status of a legitimate engineering discipline and a recognized profession. Since 1993, the IEEE Computer Society and the ACM have been actively promoting software engineering as a profession, notably through their involvement in the Joint IEEE Computer Society and ACM Steering Committee for the Establishment of Software Engineering as a Profession.
Achieving consensus by the profession on a core body of knowledge is a key milestone in all disciplines and has been identified by the Steering Committee as crucial for the evolution of software engineering toward a professional status. This report, written under the auspices of this committee, is the first step in a four-year project designed to reach this consensus.
Software Engineering 2004
This document was developed through an effort originally commissioned by the ACM Education Board and the IEEE-Computer Society Educational Activities Board to create curriculum recommendations in several computing disciplines: computer science, computer engineering, software engineering and information systems. Other professional societies have joined in a number of the individual projects. Such has notably been the case for the SE2004 (Software Engineering 2004) project, which has included participation by representatives from the Australian Computer Society, the British Computer Society, and the Information Processing Society of Japan.
Software Architecture in Practice, 2nd Edition
Software Architecture in Practice, 2nd Edition
The CVS Book: Open Source Development with CVS
Open Source Development with CVS is one of the first books available that discusses the development and implementation of Open Source software. In this book you will find a complete introduction, tutorial, and reference to the Concurrent Versions System (CVS), along with a detailed survey of the systems and conventions of Open Source development, and how CVS fits into them. If you just begun exploring Open Source software, this book will answer many of your questions; if you're an old hand, it will provide a convenient guide to the most widely used revision control system in the free software world today.
Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project
The corporate market is now embracing free, 'open source' software like never before, as evidenced by the recent success of the technologies underlying LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP). Each is the result of a publicly collaborative process among numerous developers who volunteer their time and energy to create better software.
The truth is, however, that the overwhelming majority of free software projects fail. To help you beat the odds, O'Reilly has put together Producing Open Source Software, a guide that recommends tried and true steps to help free software developers work together toward a common goal. Not just for developers who are considering starting their own free software project, this book will also help those who want to participate in the process at any level.
The book tackles this very complex topic by distilling it down into easily understandable parts. Starting with the basics of project management, it details specific tools used in free software projects, including version control, IRC, bug tracking, and Wikis. Author Karl Fogel, known for his work on CVS and Subversion, offers practical advice on how to set up and use a range of tools in combination with open mailing lists and archives. He also provides several chapters on the essentials of recruiting and motivating developers, as well as how to gain much-needed publicity for your project.
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