Open Source & Closed Source Software

What is open & closed source software?

• Think of software like recipes
• A set of instructions that tell a computer what to do
  • Open Source Software (OSS) is like a shared recipe
    • Anyone can look at it, change it, or share it with others
    • It’s all about community and collaboration
  • Closed Source Software (CSS) is like a secret recipe that only particular chefs know
    • People can taste the dish at a restaurant but can’t see the exact ingredients or change the recipe
    • This is how closed-source software works; the instructions are kept secret
• Knowing a little bit about these two types of software can help in understanding what’s happening behind the scenes and in making better choices about the software that is used

Definition, examples, and typical usage scenario

	Definition	Examples	Typical Usage Scenario
Open Source Software	Users can view, modify, and distribute the source code	Linux, Apache HTTP Server	Ideal for collaborative projects, customization, transparency
Closed Source Software	The source code is hidden and proprietary.	Microsoft Windows, Adobe Photoshop	Ideal for businesses requiring polished, supported products, intellectual property protection.

Benefits and drawbacks to the creator

	Benefits	Drawbacks
Open Source Software	Collaboration, community engagement, faster innovation	Less control, burdened with requests from users
Closed Source Software	Greater control, revenue through sales, IP protection	Slower innovation, full responsibility for updates & flaws

Benefits and drawbacks to the user

	Benefits	Drawbacks
Open Source Software	Often free, customisable, transparent	Might be less user-friendly, compatibility issues, may contain bugs
Closed Source Software	More polished products, professional support, consistency	Costly, less customisable, potential trust issues

Worked Example

Imogen installs a compiler for a high-level programming language onto her computer and makes use of an open-source IDE.

State what is meant by the term ‘open source software’.

[2]

Answer:

Example answer that gets full marks: Open Source Software is where the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. This means that anyone can view, access, and modify the code.

Worked Example

Give one benefit to Imogen of using an open-source IDE rather than a closed source IDE.

[1]

Answer:

Example answer that gets full marks: One benefit to using an open-source IDE is the ability to customise the IDE according to her specific needs. This level of customisation is typically not available in closed-source software, where the source code is proprietary and can’t be altered by the end user.