6 Application Software

Question 1

Proprietary Software is….

Answer 1

• A software that the user must pay for, as the developers have copyrighted the software.
• The users must have a specific licence to use the software
• Only the developers can edit the software
• E.G.: Microsoft

Question 2

Advantages of Proprietary Software are…

Answer 2

• A good source of revenue for programmers
• Easy to use
• Support is available in troubleshooting guides/ menus and official website’s
• It will have more features than open-source software- although perhaps more than what are needed

Question 3

Disadvantages of Proprietary Software are…

Answer 3

• Can be expensive to buy
• Companies can be slow to provide updates and bug fixes e.g., once a year etc.
• Software can be generally very generic and cannot be customised due to complexity or copyright issues

Question 4

Open Source Software is…

Answer 4

o Code that is designed to be publicly accessible
o Anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code
o Relies on peer review and community production
o An example is Firefox browser; this allows programmers to add features which allow the browser to work to a fuller extent.

Question 5

Advantages of Open Source Software…

Answer 5

• Most open-source software is free to use although companies may provide some paid-for services to enhance and/or support open source software
• Support and fixes are provided by communities, usually in the form of forums
• Open source utility software is usually compatible with other proprietary software

Question 6

Disadvantages of Open Source Software

Answer 6

• Support with fast response may not be available when needed as it relies on goodwill and availability of programmers
• There may be indirect costs involved in paying for support and training or to download codecs to help software run on your device.