Vikramjeet Rajora (2024UEV4022)
Free Software:
Free software refers to software that is freely available for use,
modification, and distribution. It grants users the freedom to run, copy,
distribute, and improve the software. The term "free" in this context refers
to freedom, not necessarily price. The Free Software Foundation (FSF)
promotes software freedom, emphasizing the rights of users over the
software.
Paid Software:
Paid software is software that requires users to purchase a license in order
to use it. This software is often proprietary, meaning the source code is
not available to users, and they cannot modify or redistribute the
software. Examples include commercial applications like Microsoft Office,
Adobe Photoshop, etc.
Open-Source Software:
Open-source software is software whose source code is made available to
the public. Users can inspect, modify, and distribute the code. This
promotes collaboration and innovation within a community. Popular
examples include Linux, Apache, and Mozilla Firefox. Open-source
software can be free, but not always, as some open-source projects may
still charge for services or support.
Open Source and Free Software:
Open source and free software often overlap, but they have different
philosophies. Open source refers to software whose code is open for
anyone to inspect and modify, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee the
software is free of charge. Free software, as defined by the Free Software
Foundation, focuses on the users' freedom rather than the price. Many
open-source projects are also free software, but not all free software is
open source, particularly in cases where the software may have non-
disclosure agreements or restrictive licenses.
Integrated Development Environment (IDE):
An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a software application
that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for
software development. It typically includes a code editor, compiler or
interpreter, debugger, and build automation tools. IDEs are designed to
streamline development by providing an integrated environment for
writing, testing, and debugging code. Examples include Visual Studio,
Eclipse, and PyCharm.
