This document discusses several social and ethical issues related to software design and development, including ergonomics, intellectual property, inclusivity, and more. Ergonomics focuses on how easy software is to use and the skills required of users. Intellectual property laws protect software designs and licensing agreements enforce these rights. Inclusivity means software is accessible to people of various cultures, economic backgrounds, genders, and abilities. The document provides details on these topics and their importance.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed in 1998 to protect copyrighted digital content with technological locks and ban circumvention tools. Every 3 years, exemptions are considered for fair uses like criticism, comment, and accessibility. The 2010 exemptions allowed bypassing locks for educational film clips, cellphone software, video game testing, obsolete dongles, and ebook accessibility. While exemptions allow circumvention, the underlying copyright still applies.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed in 1998 to protect copyrighted digital content with technological locks and ban circumvention tools. Every three years, exemptions are considered for fair uses like criticism, comment, and accessibility. The 2010 exemptions allowed bypassing locks for educational film clips, cellphone software, video game testing, obsolete dongles, and ebook accessibility. While exemptions allow circumvention, the underlying copyright still applies.
Multimedia is the presentation of information using a combination of text, audio, graphics, video and animation. There are two types of interactivity in multimedia - linear interactivity where the user passively receives content, and non-linear interactivity where the user can control the sequence. Non-linear multimedia allows two-way communication while linear does not. Hardware and software tools can be used to produce multimedia content. The production process involves analysis, design, implementation, testing and publishing phases.
Ergonomics, intellectual property, and inclusivity are three major social and ethical issues in software design and development. Ergonomics considers how easy software is to use for different groups, while intellectual property laws protect software developers' work from being copied. Inclusivity requires software be accessible to users from various cultures, economic backgrounds, and with disabilities. License agreements are used to legally enforce intellectual property rights and protect developers.
The document discusses several legal issues related to software and privacy:
- Patents can protect functional aspects of software programs, including algorithms, but obtaining patents is costly and difficult. There is ongoing debate around software patentability in the EU.
- Copyright automatically protects the specific form of a computer program, not general functionality. No registration is required.
- The UK Data Protection Act establishes principles for processing personal data, including requirements that data be obtained fairly and lawfully, be accurate, and not be kept longer than necessary.
- Issues around transferring personal data outside the European Economic Area and implementing adequate privacy protections are discussed.
Software developer agreements baby veena johnAltacit Global
The document outlines key components of a software development agreement, including:
1) The parties involved, description of the project, payment terms, and intellectual property rights assignment specifying that the client owns the software code.
2) Warranties that the software will perform as specified along with indemnification against third party intellectual property claims.
3) Confidentiality of sensitive information, terms for termination, and dispute resolution procedures such as arbitration.
4) Provisions regarding copyright ownership transfer to the client unless otherwise specified, and issues around using copyrighted/public domain materials in software/websites.
This document provides information about open source software including definitions, features, advantages, disadvantages, popular open source software, licensing, and legitimacy of open source software. It defines open source software as software with source code available and licensed to allow users to study, change, and distribute the software for any purpose. Popular advantages listed include free distribution, lower hardware costs, and abundant support from online communities. Disadvantages include costs of maintenance and support as well as difficulty of installation and use for some end users. The document also discusses open source licensing and laws related to intellectual property and copyright.
The document discusses open source GIS software as an alternative to proprietary GIS software. It defines what open source means, including allowing free redistribution, access to source code, allowing modifications, and non-discrimination. It also discusses concerns about open source adoption in government. However, it argues that open source GIS software can meet requirements for fitness of purpose, value for money, and low risk. Choosing sustainable open source projects with large user bases can help minimize risks. Open source GIS software is now mature and interoperable enough to consider for commercial use.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed in 1998 to protect copyrighted digital content with technological locks and ban circumvention tools. Every 3 years, exemptions are considered for fair uses like criticism, comment, and accessibility. The 2010 exemptions allowed bypassing locks for educational film clips, cellphone software, video game testing, obsolete dongles, and ebook accessibility. While exemptions allow circumvention, the underlying copyright still applies.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed in 1998 to protect copyrighted digital content with technological locks and ban circumvention tools. Every three years, exemptions are considered for fair uses like criticism, comment, and accessibility. The 2010 exemptions allowed bypassing locks for educational film clips, cellphone software, video game testing, obsolete dongles, and ebook accessibility. While exemptions allow circumvention, the underlying copyright still applies.
Multimedia is the presentation of information using a combination of text, audio, graphics, video and animation. There are two types of interactivity in multimedia - linear interactivity where the user passively receives content, and non-linear interactivity where the user can control the sequence. Non-linear multimedia allows two-way communication while linear does not. Hardware and software tools can be used to produce multimedia content. The production process involves analysis, design, implementation, testing and publishing phases.
Ergonomics, intellectual property, and inclusivity are three major social and ethical issues in software design and development. Ergonomics considers how easy software is to use for different groups, while intellectual property laws protect software developers' work from being copied. Inclusivity requires software be accessible to users from various cultures, economic backgrounds, and with disabilities. License agreements are used to legally enforce intellectual property rights and protect developers.
The document discusses several legal issues related to software and privacy:
- Patents can protect functional aspects of software programs, including algorithms, but obtaining patents is costly and difficult. There is ongoing debate around software patentability in the EU.
- Copyright automatically protects the specific form of a computer program, not general functionality. No registration is required.
- The UK Data Protection Act establishes principles for processing personal data, including requirements that data be obtained fairly and lawfully, be accurate, and not be kept longer than necessary.
- Issues around transferring personal data outside the European Economic Area and implementing adequate privacy protections are discussed.
Software developer agreements baby veena johnAltacit Global
The document outlines key components of a software development agreement, including:
1) The parties involved, description of the project, payment terms, and intellectual property rights assignment specifying that the client owns the software code.
2) Warranties that the software will perform as specified along with indemnification against third party intellectual property claims.
3) Confidentiality of sensitive information, terms for termination, and dispute resolution procedures such as arbitration.
4) Provisions regarding copyright ownership transfer to the client unless otherwise specified, and issues around using copyrighted/public domain materials in software/websites.
This document provides information about open source software including definitions, features, advantages, disadvantages, popular open source software, licensing, and legitimacy of open source software. It defines open source software as software with source code available and licensed to allow users to study, change, and distribute the software for any purpose. Popular advantages listed include free distribution, lower hardware costs, and abundant support from online communities. Disadvantages include costs of maintenance and support as well as difficulty of installation and use for some end users. The document also discusses open source licensing and laws related to intellectual property and copyright.
The document discusses open source GIS software as an alternative to proprietary GIS software. It defines what open source means, including allowing free redistribution, access to source code, allowing modifications, and non-discrimination. It also discusses concerns about open source adoption in government. However, it argues that open source GIS software can meet requirements for fitness of purpose, value for money, and low risk. Choosing sustainable open source projects with large user bases can help minimize risks. Open source GIS software is now mature and interoperable enough to consider for commercial use.
A software license is a legal agreement that governs how software can be used and distributed. It grants users permission to use software in ways that would otherwise be copyright infringement. There are different types of licenses including single-user, multi-user, site and enterprise licenses. When creating a software license agreement, developers should address issues like warranty, liability, and ensure the language is unambiguous to avoid loopholes. Software licenses must comply with international copyright laws.
This is a documentation about software licences, legal requirements, processes involved, benefits of registering software, and implications of installing software.
This document is part of my IT coursework*
Open Source software can be found everywhere, from WiFi routers to the largest web sites on the Internet. This presentation looks at how it all got started and what it can mean for you.
This lecture discusses application software. It defines application software as programs that run under system software and are designed to help users complete specific tasks. Examples provided include web browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, graphics, and audio/video software. The lecture also discusses different types of software licenses including shareware, freeware, and paid licenses, as well as key generators. Freeware is free software available under certain usage restrictions, while shareware is trial software intended for purchase. Paid licenses grant permission to use software under copyright.
Distributed Co-ordinator Model for Optimal Utilization of Software and Piracy...CSCJournals
Today the software technologies have evolved it to the extent that now a customer can have free and open source software available in the market. But with this evolution the menace of software piracy has also evolved. Unlike other things a customer purchases, the software applications and fonts bought don't belong to the specified user. Instead, the customer becomes a licensed user — means the customer purchases the right to use the software on a single computer, and can't put copies on other machines or pass that software along to colleagues. Software piracy is the illegal distribution and/or reproduction of software applications for business or personal use. Whether software piracy is deliberate or not, it is still illegal and punishable by law. The major reasons of piracy include the high cost of software and the rigid licensing structure which is becoming even less popular due to inefficient software utilization. Various software companies are inclined towards the research of techniques to handle this problem of piracy. Many defense mechanisms have been devised till date but the hobbyists or the black market leaders (so called “software pirates”) have always found a way out of it. This paper identifies the types of piracies and licensing mechanisms along with the flaws in the existing defense mechanisms and examines social and technical challenges associated with handling software piracy prevention. The goal of this paper is to design, implement and empirically evaluate a comprehensive framework for software piracy prevention and optimal utilization of the software.
This document discusses different types of software licensing models. It defines a software license as a legal agreement that grants permission to use software and outlines acceptable uses. The main types of licenses discussed are proprietary licenses, where the publisher retains ownership; GNU GPL licenses, where users can modify and share modifications; and EULAs that specify terms of individual or organizational use. The document also covers licenses for workstations, concurrent use, sites, perpetual versus timed access, and development.
Controlling the value in software companiesJohan Örneblad
Controlling the value in software companies. Intellectual property strategies for software companies.
Seminar held 2 Dec 2015 at Bergenstråhle & Partners.
Open source software vs proprietary softwareLavan1997
The document discusses and compares open source software and proprietary software. Open source software is software with source code that is available and may be redistributed and modified under an open source license. Proprietary software is licensed under exclusive legal rights that restrict uses like modification and redistribution. Some key differences discussed include open source software being collaboratively developed while proprietary software owners control exclusive rights over the software.
Copyright e Licenze (Aperte) per i contenuti didattici Fulvio Corno
1. Concetti base sul Copyright
2. Licenze
3. Licenze aperte ed Internet
4. Licenze aperte per prodotti software
5. Licenze aperte per contenuto creativo
Lezione presso il corso di Master in E-Learning per la Pubblica Amministrazione.
Si tratta di un Corso Universitario di Aggiornamento Professionale, finanziato da INPS/INPDAP e progettato in collaborazione con la Città di Torino e la Provincia di Torino, erogato tra maggio 2014 e settembre 2014.
Per maggiori informazioni: http://elite.polito.it/index.php/teaching/current-courses/247-master-elpa
Copyright in Software and Open Source licensingRowan Wilson
The document provides an overview of copyright in software and open source licensing. It discusses what copyright is and how it applies to software. It then describes several common open source licenses like the GPL, LGPL, BSD, Apache, and MPL licenses. For each license, it highlights significant features and notes. Finally, it briefly discusses some exploitation strategies for software licensed under open source licenses, such as trademarking, support services, and dual licensing.
This document discusses legal and other issues related to using open source software. It defines key terms like proprietary software, open source software, and freeware. Both proprietary and open source software have advantages and disadvantages to consider. When sharing or procuring software within the Commonwealth, open source licenses and ownership of the software must be reviewed. A best value analysis is required for procurement to assess risks and benefits of different software options. Resources for comparing open source licenses and the Commonwealth's IT policies are provided.
Open source technology allows end users and developers to view and modify source code. It has various benefits including being free, continually evolving through community contributions, and not locking users into specific vendors. There are different open source licenses that comply with the open source definition by allowing free use, modification and sharing of software. Open source makes sense for financial services by enabling innovation through building on others' work and collaborating to solve problems faster. It encourages participation and contribution which can benefit society.
Open source technology allows end users and developers to view and modify source code. It has various benefits including being free, continually evolving through community contributions, and not locking users into specific vendors. There are different open source licenses that comply with the open source definition by allowing free use, modification and sharing of software. Open source makes sense for financial services by enabling innovation through building on others' work and collaborating to solve problems faster. It encourages participation and contribution which benefits societal development.
The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a free and open-source software license that allows users to use, study, share, modify, and distribute software and other works. It aims to guarantee users' freedom to use software for any purpose by preventing restrictions imposed by copyright holders. The GPL applies to works released under this license by their authors and can be applied to other authors' works as well. It provides legal protection for developers and users, including preventing patents from making software proprietary.
The document discusses open source software and how companies can generate revenue from open source business models without traditional licensing fees. It describes several common business models including support and services, loss leaders to promote other products, customization services, and brand licensing. The document also discusses other motives for companies beyond direct revenue, such as using the free infrastructure of open source development and indirect revenues from related products. It notes that programmers are motivated by technological and learning benefits from the feedback of large, open communities rather than direct economic benefits from companies.
The document discusses software licensing, including what a software license is, the benefits of licensed software, types of open source licenses like the MIT, Apache, BSD licenses, and how to apply a license to an open source project. It provides examples of projects using different licenses. It also summarizes the recent "Terraform rugpull" where the original developers changed the license from open source to a more restrictive license, leading to a community fork called OpenTofu.
This document is a license agreement for Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro software. It outlines the terms of use for the software, including that the user is granted a license to install the software on one computer for use by one person at a time. The software is not licensed for server or commercial hosting use. The agreement also covers transferring the software to another user or computer, internet activation of the software, data collection and privacy practices, limitations on certain uses of the software, and additional terms for multi-user scenarios and virtualization.
The document provides an overview of software licensing, including definitions of different types of licenses and how they can be applied to open source projects. It discusses what a software license is and the benefits of licensed software. It also describes some commonly used open source licenses like the MIT, Apache, BSD, and Business Source licenses. Finally, it provides guidance on how to select and apply an open source license to a software project.
A software license is a legal agreement that governs how software can be used and distributed. It grants users permission to use software in ways that would otherwise be copyright infringement. There are different types of licenses including single-user, multi-user, site and enterprise licenses. When creating a software license agreement, developers should address issues like warranty, liability, and ensure the language is unambiguous to avoid loopholes. Software licenses must comply with international copyright laws.
This is a documentation about software licences, legal requirements, processes involved, benefits of registering software, and implications of installing software.
This document is part of my IT coursework*
Open Source software can be found everywhere, from WiFi routers to the largest web sites on the Internet. This presentation looks at how it all got started and what it can mean for you.
This lecture discusses application software. It defines application software as programs that run under system software and are designed to help users complete specific tasks. Examples provided include web browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, graphics, and audio/video software. The lecture also discusses different types of software licenses including shareware, freeware, and paid licenses, as well as key generators. Freeware is free software available under certain usage restrictions, while shareware is trial software intended for purchase. Paid licenses grant permission to use software under copyright.
Distributed Co-ordinator Model for Optimal Utilization of Software and Piracy...CSCJournals
Today the software technologies have evolved it to the extent that now a customer can have free and open source software available in the market. But with this evolution the menace of software piracy has also evolved. Unlike other things a customer purchases, the software applications and fonts bought don't belong to the specified user. Instead, the customer becomes a licensed user — means the customer purchases the right to use the software on a single computer, and can't put copies on other machines or pass that software along to colleagues. Software piracy is the illegal distribution and/or reproduction of software applications for business or personal use. Whether software piracy is deliberate or not, it is still illegal and punishable by law. The major reasons of piracy include the high cost of software and the rigid licensing structure which is becoming even less popular due to inefficient software utilization. Various software companies are inclined towards the research of techniques to handle this problem of piracy. Many defense mechanisms have been devised till date but the hobbyists or the black market leaders (so called “software pirates”) have always found a way out of it. This paper identifies the types of piracies and licensing mechanisms along with the flaws in the existing defense mechanisms and examines social and technical challenges associated with handling software piracy prevention. The goal of this paper is to design, implement and empirically evaluate a comprehensive framework for software piracy prevention and optimal utilization of the software.
This document discusses different types of software licensing models. It defines a software license as a legal agreement that grants permission to use software and outlines acceptable uses. The main types of licenses discussed are proprietary licenses, where the publisher retains ownership; GNU GPL licenses, where users can modify and share modifications; and EULAs that specify terms of individual or organizational use. The document also covers licenses for workstations, concurrent use, sites, perpetual versus timed access, and development.
Controlling the value in software companiesJohan Örneblad
Controlling the value in software companies. Intellectual property strategies for software companies.
Seminar held 2 Dec 2015 at Bergenstråhle & Partners.
Open source software vs proprietary softwareLavan1997
The document discusses and compares open source software and proprietary software. Open source software is software with source code that is available and may be redistributed and modified under an open source license. Proprietary software is licensed under exclusive legal rights that restrict uses like modification and redistribution. Some key differences discussed include open source software being collaboratively developed while proprietary software owners control exclusive rights over the software.
Copyright e Licenze (Aperte) per i contenuti didattici Fulvio Corno
1. Concetti base sul Copyright
2. Licenze
3. Licenze aperte ed Internet
4. Licenze aperte per prodotti software
5. Licenze aperte per contenuto creativo
Lezione presso il corso di Master in E-Learning per la Pubblica Amministrazione.
Si tratta di un Corso Universitario di Aggiornamento Professionale, finanziato da INPS/INPDAP e progettato in collaborazione con la Città di Torino e la Provincia di Torino, erogato tra maggio 2014 e settembre 2014.
Per maggiori informazioni: http://elite.polito.it/index.php/teaching/current-courses/247-master-elpa
Copyright in Software and Open Source licensingRowan Wilson
The document provides an overview of copyright in software and open source licensing. It discusses what copyright is and how it applies to software. It then describes several common open source licenses like the GPL, LGPL, BSD, Apache, and MPL licenses. For each license, it highlights significant features and notes. Finally, it briefly discusses some exploitation strategies for software licensed under open source licenses, such as trademarking, support services, and dual licensing.
This document discusses legal and other issues related to using open source software. It defines key terms like proprietary software, open source software, and freeware. Both proprietary and open source software have advantages and disadvantages to consider. When sharing or procuring software within the Commonwealth, open source licenses and ownership of the software must be reviewed. A best value analysis is required for procurement to assess risks and benefits of different software options. Resources for comparing open source licenses and the Commonwealth's IT policies are provided.
Open source technology allows end users and developers to view and modify source code. It has various benefits including being free, continually evolving through community contributions, and not locking users into specific vendors. There are different open source licenses that comply with the open source definition by allowing free use, modification and sharing of software. Open source makes sense for financial services by enabling innovation through building on others' work and collaborating to solve problems faster. It encourages participation and contribution which can benefit society.
Open source technology allows end users and developers to view and modify source code. It has various benefits including being free, continually evolving through community contributions, and not locking users into specific vendors. There are different open source licenses that comply with the open source definition by allowing free use, modification and sharing of software. Open source makes sense for financial services by enabling innovation through building on others' work and collaborating to solve problems faster. It encourages participation and contribution which benefits societal development.
The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a free and open-source software license that allows users to use, study, share, modify, and distribute software and other works. It aims to guarantee users' freedom to use software for any purpose by preventing restrictions imposed by copyright holders. The GPL applies to works released under this license by their authors and can be applied to other authors' works as well. It provides legal protection for developers and users, including preventing patents from making software proprietary.
The document discusses open source software and how companies can generate revenue from open source business models without traditional licensing fees. It describes several common business models including support and services, loss leaders to promote other products, customization services, and brand licensing. The document also discusses other motives for companies beyond direct revenue, such as using the free infrastructure of open source development and indirect revenues from related products. It notes that programmers are motivated by technological and learning benefits from the feedback of large, open communities rather than direct economic benefits from companies.
The document discusses software licensing, including what a software license is, the benefits of licensed software, types of open source licenses like the MIT, Apache, BSD licenses, and how to apply a license to an open source project. It provides examples of projects using different licenses. It also summarizes the recent "Terraform rugpull" where the original developers changed the license from open source to a more restrictive license, leading to a community fork called OpenTofu.
This document is a license agreement for Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro software. It outlines the terms of use for the software, including that the user is granted a license to install the software on one computer for use by one person at a time. The software is not licensed for server or commercial hosting use. The agreement also covers transferring the software to another user or computer, internet activation of the software, data collection and privacy practices, limitations on certain uses of the software, and additional terms for multi-user scenarios and virtualization.
The document provides an overview of software licensing, including definitions of different types of licenses and how they can be applied to open source projects. It discusses what a software license is and the benefits of licensed software. It also describes some commonly used open source licenses like the MIT, Apache, BSD, and Business Source licenses. Finally, it provides guidance on how to select and apply an open source license to a software project.
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𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭:
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The recent surge in pro-Palestine student activism has prompted significant responses from universities, ranging from negotiations and divestment commitments to increased transparency about investments in companies supporting the war on Gaza. This activism has led to the cessation of student encampments but also highlighted the substantial sacrifices made by students, including academic disruptions and personal risks. The primary drivers of these protests are poor university administration, lack of transparency, and inadequate communication between officials and students. This study examines the profound emotional, psychological, and professional impacts on students engaged in pro-Palestine protests, focusing on Generation Z's (Gen-Z) activism dynamics. This paper explores the significant sacrifices made by these students and even the professors supporting the pro-Palestine movement, with a focus on recent global movements. Through an in-depth analysis of printed and electronic media, the study examines the impacts of these sacrifices on the academic and personal lives of those involved. The paper highlights examples from various universities, demonstrating student activism's long-term and short-term effects, including disciplinary actions, social backlash, and career implications. The researchers also explore the broader implications of student sacrifices. The findings reveal that these sacrifices are driven by a profound commitment to justice and human rights, and are influenced by the increasing availability of information, peer interactions, and personal convictions. The study also discusses the broader implications of this activism, comparing it to historical precedents and assessing its potential to influence policy and public opinion. The emotional and psychological toll on student activists is significant, but their sense of purpose and community support mitigates some of these challenges. However, the researchers call for acknowledging the broader Impact of these sacrifices on the future global movement of FreePalestine.
1. The social and ethical issues of
Software Design and Development
The Home Page
Welcome to the Software Design and Development website created by
Sarthak Garg and Kenneth Fong. This website gives you information about
the social and ethical issues of Software Design and Development, and is
embedded with a presentation of the Input/Processes/Output presentation.
About the Website
This website was created using Adobe Dreamweaver CC. Other elements of
the project, including the Guessing Game and Pseudocode elements, can
be found elsewhere in the CD.
The Slideshow
The slideshow was created using an online tool called Prezi. It has been
embedded into the pages. Please refer to the bibliography section of this
website for more information.
Ergonomics
“Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between human workers and their
work environment.” (Davis, 2011). Therefore, it includes all hardware, software
and environment that affect how the user and participants interact with the
product. However, in software design and development, instead of
concentrating with a huge variety of products, we just focus on the software.
Ergonomics is one of the three major social and ethical issues of Software
development and design. Apart from just being able to serve a wide variety
of audience (which is a main element of inclusivity), ergonomics includes
how easy the software is to use and what background knowledge is require
by the user and participants, among other factors, with a focus on audience
from different cultures, economic backgrounds, social groups, gender
differences and ways to make the software accessible for the physically and
mentally disabled.
The actual software development process should also be ergonomically
inclusive; it requires a variety of skills. These include “effective communication
skills, working in teams, creativity, design skills, problem-solving skills and
attention to detail.” (Davis, 2011)
Before the invention of Graphical User Interface (GUIs), it used to be very
difficult for users and participants to use computers, as these systems were
2. based on command lines, called Command Line Interfaces (CLIs) and didn’t
provide a user-friendly interface for the users. However, due to the limited
functionality of the GUIs, CLIs remain a preference for specialised or
automated computer tasks. Therefore, most software applications were
written for large military and business organisations. The hardware and
software were so intimately linked that the package solution was bought
together as an entire product. The revolution of personal computers has
changed our way we think about hardware and software today.
Intellectual property
All property is protected by law. This means that while a person may own a
physical product or a piece of software, he/she might not necessarily own
the rights towards the design of that software or product.
Therefore, legally, that certain individual cannot copy the design or use the
design of the software/product for their monetary profits. However, they can
use the single product/software they own for any purpose they deem fit.
However, traditional physical products that were built required specialisation
in knowledge of the product and the field, the necessary machinery as well
as the workmanship. All these expenses beared by the manufacturer of the
product (the individual/organisation which has the rights towards the design
of the product) are referred to as manufacturing costs. Therefore, for physical
devices even today, this cost barrier acts as a safeguard for illegitimate use
of the design by other individuals/organisations to copy for their profits. But
software together with books, films and music are easily copied and
therefore require extra legal protection and reinforcement.
Intellectual property can be defined as “Property resulting from the fruits of
mental labour”(Davis, 2011) . Intellectual property laws cover the
design/framework of most products. Since copying of software and as such
films, books and music is relatively inexpensive compared to physical
products and requires almost minimal computing knowledge, they can be
made by anyone. Consequently, laws have been passed that in most
countries that protect the intellectual property rights of software developers
and to ensure that they are financially rewarded for their intellectual efforts.
This is made possible today through the use of Software Licence
Agreements.These agreements have been created to enforce the
intellectual property rights of software developers and other electronic media
producers. These Licence agreements hence must use legal jargon and
therefore be legally correct, if they are to be used in a case in court. Not only
do licence agreements protect software developers’ intellectual rights, they
3. also protect developers from the financial loss or hardships their customer
may suffer due to the purchase of their product.
Since licence agreements use legal jargon to ensure their validity in court,
they are often difficult to understand. To make our understanding of Licence
agreements easier, it is possible to break down each component of the legal
rights and responsibilities the developer includes in their licence agreement in
order to ensure their legal protection against certain anticipated aspects:
Licence: the formal permission or authority to use a product. This,
however does not mean that the user gets ownership of the software,
they are merely granted the right to use it. The same laws apply to
other forms of such mass media, including books, films, photographs,
music etc.
Agreement: a mutual contract between parties. These agreements
can be made in various ways. One of the most common ways is to ask
the user to agree to certain conditions of the agreement by clicking
“OK” just prior to installing a software package or downloading or
installing media.
Term: the duration and the commencement date of the agreement. In
most cases, the agreement starts as soon as the agreement is made;
this needs to be included in the agreement for both parties to refer to
and ensure.
Warranty: any assurance provided by the software developer – some
type of guarantee. This is to be included in the agreement. A warranty
gives some sort of assurance by the developer to the user regarding
the quality of the software. However, to protect their legal rights even
further, developers state that the software is sold “as is” and therefore
any standard glitches experienced by the user is not covered by the
warranty. Warranties rarely apply to other forms of electronic media
(such as films and music), as there is no legal need of “assurance” or
“guarantee” from the producers/developers.
Limited use: some developers do not provide users unrestricted use of
the product. For example, the product may be limited to be installed
on only a limited number of computer systems, or could be only valid or
legally usable for a certain period of time.
Reverse engineer: many agreements today prohibit users to break
down the purchased software, in order to reinforce the intellectual
property rights of the developers. These laws also apply to other forms
of media such as music and videos, where the purchaser is not legally
allowed to break down the final product into primitive or simpler
components.
4. Backup copy: some agreements allow copying the software package
for archival purposes. However, these copies can only be legally used if
their original software (or media) files are damaged when in term of
the agreement. When the terms of the agreement are over, the
backup copies should be destroyed.
There are 7 types of use of software and media covered by a licence
agreement:
Commercial: covered by copyright. One archival copy can be made
as a backup. The product cannot be modified, distributed or reverse
engineered.
Shareware: proprietary software that is provided to users on a limited
basis and only for a certain limited trial bases and pursuant to a licence
which restricts any commercial benefit, use or exploitation of the
software. Shareware is also covered by copyright
Freeware:copies of freeware can be made; freeware can be
distributed and altered. However, freeware is still protected by a weak
reinforcement of copyright. The source code of the freeware
application may or may not be available to the public
Public Domain:Copies of this form of software application can be
made with or without restriction. Hence, public domain software
applications are not covered by copyright laws.
Open source licence: although open source applications are still
covered by copyright laws, these types of applications remove most of
the traditions laws and rights of the (original/primary) developer/s. the
development of open source applications is largely based on
collaboration from the public, and the resulting modified product is
also released based on the same open source licence.
Site licence: these are covered by copyright laws. These type of
applications restrict the users/purchasers as to how many computer
systems can an application be installed on.
Creative commons licence: although software and media work under
this licence is still copyrighted, its use for software applications is rare.
However, they are widely used in media forms such as photographs,
music, video files, etc. Under the conditions of the Creative Commons
licence, the user is generally permitted to freely copy and distribute the
work, as long as the original developer/producer is acknowledged.
Inclusivity
Inclusive can be defined as: containing, embracing or comprising everything
concerned. Comprehensively includes and takes account of stated
concerns. (Davis, 2011)
5. Inclusivity is one of the three main social and ethical issues of Software Design
and Development. Inclusive software should take into account the different
users who are going to likely use a developer’s product. It is a responsibility of
a developer to determine the types of users that are going to use their
product. Moreover, developers that ignore inclusivity are likely to lose a fair
market share from their product, resulting in lower sales and reduced profit.
There are 4 main factors developers should think of when anticipating the
inclusivity of their products:
Cultural background: “The culture of a people can be described as
the set of ways of living built up over a period of time and passed from
generation to generation.” (Davis, 2011).
To be inclusive of the various cultural backgrounds in the usability of
their product, developers must firstly understand or at least be
empathetic to their needs and beliefs. Although it is not possible to be
aware of all the cultures, we can easily include users from a variety of
dominant cultures as part of the testing process occurring during
development. This includes the subordinates of language (including
writing scripts), numbers, religion, superstition, currency, time, dates, just
to name a few.
The dominant language of a country should be used in the interface of
the solution. Many software developers today manage to translate the
content of their applications into different languages, by asking the
user themselves their preferred language of installation. This allows their
applications to have greater inclusivity as the application can also be
used by people who are unfamiliar with the language in which the
developer originally developed the software.
Apart from this graphics and symbols used in a software application
are also pivotal to the inclusivity of the software. Different images can
be interpreted in different ways by users from different cultural
background. A graphic that may be humorous for a user could be
offensive to another, especially due to their religious beliefs.
Economic background
“Economic characteristics relate to the generation, distribution and use
of income and wealth” (Davis, 2011). The economic background
factor can be examined at a local, national, global or even an industry
specific scale. It is a responsibility for software developers to know the
6. economic capacity of their targeted users, as this assists in increased
the inclusivity of their software applications, causing increased sales
and larger profit margins. The most successful applications in the
market are those with costs that are accessible by the widest variety of
audience. The recent shift towards the development of open source
applications has helped in this regard.
Gender
Disability
Bibliography
Davis, S., 2011. Intellectual Property. In: Software Design and Development -
The Preliminary Course. Sydney: Parramatta Education Centre, p. 17.
Davis, S., 2011. Software Design and Development - The Preliminary Course.
2nd ed. Sydney: Parramatta Education Centre.