Developers who create open source software hold the copyright to their work but grant users a license, typically the GPL, to use and modify the software. However, users have obligations under these licenses, such as making any modified versions of the software freely available. Some companies download and use open source software without attending to their license obligations, risking legal issues. Stakeholders in open source software include developers, companies that use or develop software, programmers, and general users. Utilitarian and deontological analyses both support following open source licenses to maximize benefits and fulfill duties around intellectual property. Developers should give credit to original creators and make any modifications publicly available, while companies should verify that license terms are followed.

2. ACSG-575

3. Essay #2 – Ethical Considerations in Open-Source Software Usage

4. Introduction

6. Some of the stakeholders on this issue are

7. Developer who creates open source

8. Programmer who creates it has their ideas, thoughts, hard work, time all are in stake.

9. Companies that uses Open Source Software

10. Sometimes companies may fail to move according open source software law due to which they may have to face charge, so their reputation are on stake.

11. Companies that develop proprietary software have their business in risk.

12. Programmer who uses that open source

13. Sometimes developer they write their own code and publish it along with open source without stating it so due to which their own creation which they don’t want to make it open source get published unknowingly.

14. General user

15. Their overall safety might be on stake because while using open source no one takes responsibility if anything goes wrong.

16. Utilitarian Analysis

18. So since Kantian view focuses on fulfilling one’s responsibility or duty, one should be careful while using open source software and make sure the terms and conditions are fulfilled. A developer cannot just copy the codes/techniques and claim it as his own innovation nor can he resell that product under his name. One should also make sure that if he is using even smallest part from some open source and he gives him the credit for that. The one who is using other’s open source software should take care of other’s intellectual property and make sure he goes through all the terms and conditions of the open source software he is using or going to use.

19. Not just the developer, but the responsibility also lies on the company. Sometimes, the developers in company may miss to follow the terms and conditions. So at that time, the companies should make sure that they have some kind of procedure that takes care of these kinds of issues; because, if developer makes the mistake and the company fails to verify that, they will be the one to face the legal consequence.

20. Conclusion

21. So, in open source software ethical consideration, utilitarian and deontological analysis, both, are pointing towards same direction. In this case, both analyses seem to be in line with each other where deontological analysis focuses on following one’s responsibility of taking care of other’s property and which fulfills the condition made by utilitarian view by make majority of people happy. The developer should make sure he gives credit to the original developer. When a developer uses open source software, he gets bind with the same rules as the original developer and thus, he should make his work publicly available as his source was. And when he does that, more people are benefitted. More people get free software and more people can learn. It is like knowledge sharing and hence supporting utilitarian view too.

22. To summarize my article with my own open-source code of conduct, I would list it in this way:-

23. Developer - Developer should protect one’s intellectual property. He should follow the terms carefully. Whenever copying from an open source, he should make sure that he also makes his copy publicly available. He should make sure that he doesn’t claim other’s work as his own and gives proper credit to the main developer.

24. Organization – Organization should not rely on developers to follow the rules. So, there must be some kind of automated procedure which checks the originality of work. They have to make sure that the codes are not being copied from other open source for the products which they are going to launch as proprietary. The procedure should also check the proper credits being given.

25. Users – User who modifies the open source code and publishes it must make it free of cost and should provide their source code along with the original open source code.References<br />http://true-reality.net/csc300/resources/assets/Example%20Term%20Paper%20-%20Whitney.pdf<br />http://questioncopyright.org/copyright_and_open_source<br />http://www.osnews.com/story/18610/Open_Source_Risks_and_Responsibilities/page2/<br />http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/software/archives/page9905.cfm<br />http://hubpages.com/hub/Open-Source-Search-Engine<br />http://www.asiaosc.org/benefits-of-open-source.html<br />http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html<br />http://eu.conecta.it/paper/Advantages_open_source_soft.html<br />http://cogprints.org/3538/1/vinson01_source_NRC-46544.pdf<br />http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1621508&show=pdf<br />http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html<br />http://emoglen.law.columbia.edu/my_pubs/anarchism.html<br />http://www.abanet.org/intelprop/opensource.html<br />http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/contracts-agreements/3874378-1.html<br />http://lwn.net/Articles/375940/<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software<br />http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Open-Source-Software-Your-Companys-Legal-Risks-64378.html?wlc=1289712819<br />http://books.google.com/books?id=s5EwJk0tUJAC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&dq=stakeholders+in+open+source+software+issue&source=bl&ots=blOx9NAdFg&sig=5A-WIfNep1i7sv_zYnR2JNEL6Ng&hl=en&ei=aXLfTLa3MsPPngeKx7nrDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CFAQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=stakeholders%20in%20open%20source%20software%20issue&f=false<br />http://my.safaribooksonline.com/technology-management/0201734966/stakeholders-who-are-the-developers-and-organizations-involved/ch07#X2ludGVybmFsX0ZsYXNoUmVhZGVyP3htbGlkPTAtMjAxLTczNDk2LTYvdmk=<br />http://www.osnews.com/story/18610/Open_Source_Risks_and_Responsibilities/page2/<br />http://questioncopyright.org/copyright_and_open_source<br />http://hubpages.com/hub/Open-Source-Search-Engine<br />http://www.collaborativeconsulting.com/uploads/file/10%20Rules%20for%20Open%20Source%20Software.pdf<br />http://brian.teeman.net/joomla-gps/roles-and-responsibilities-of-users-and-community-members.html<br />