Open Source vs Proprietary Software

This lesson compares open source and proprietary software, as required by OCR J277 Section 1.6. Understanding the differences between these two software models is important for ethical, legal, and practical reasons.

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What Is Open Source Software?

Open source software is software where the source code is made freely available to the public. Anyone can view, modify, distribute, and improve the code, subject to the terms of the software's open source licence.

Key Characteristics:

• Source code is publicly available
• Can be freely modified and distributed
• Often developed by a community of volunteers
• Governed by licences (e.g. GPL, MIT, Apache) that define usage rights
• Usually free to download and use

Examples of Open Source Software:

Software	Type
Linux	Operating system
Firefox	Web browser
LibreOffice	Office suite
Apache	Web server
MySQL	Database
Python	Programming language
VLC	Media player
WordPress	Content management system
Android	Mobile operating system (based on open source)

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What Is Proprietary Software?

Proprietary software (also called closed source software) is software where the source code is not made publicly available. The software is owned by a company or individual, and users must purchase a licence to use it.

Key Characteristics:

• Source code is secret and owned by the developer
• Users cannot view, modify, or distribute the code
• Must be purchased or licensed
• Developed and maintained by the owning company
• Users agree to an End User Licence Agreement (EULA)

Examples of Proprietary Software:

Software	Type
Microsoft Windows	Operating system
Microsoft Office	Office suite
Adobe Photoshop	Image editing
macOS	Operating system
iOS	Mobile operating system
Spotify	Music streaming

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Comparing Open Source and Proprietary Software

Feature	Open Source	Proprietary
Source code	Publicly available	Secret / closed
Cost	Usually free	Usually requires purchase or subscription
Modification	Can be freely modified	Cannot be modified by users
Distribution	Can be freely distributed	Distribution restricted by licence
Support	Community forums, documentation; paid support sometimes available	Official support from the developer
Updates	Community-driven, may be less regular	Regular, scheduled updates from the developer
Security	Code can be audited by anyone (more eyes = more bugs found)	Security through obscurity; only the developer can fix vulnerabilities
User interface	Can vary; sometimes less polished	Usually polished and consistent
Compatibility	May have compatibility issues with proprietary formats	Usually good compatibility with industry standards