← VCE Software Development U4O2

Software licences and open-source code

A legal agreement stating how you may use, change and share code. Open-source licences allow reuse if you follow their terms, such as giving credit to the author.

Part of: VCE Software Development - U4O2 - Cyber Security: secure software development practices — Module 119, VCE Applied Computing U1O2 Programming: Legal requirements and emerging trends — Module 4, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Cyber Security — Module 184

Understanding Software licences and open-source code in VCE Software Development U4O2

What it does: This comment gives credit to the author and names the licence, which meets the attribution condition. The licence file lists the terms of use. Checking it first makes sure you follow the conditions when you reuse open-source code. A software licence is a legal agreement. It sets out what you are allowed to do with the code. The licence tells you your rights and duties. Check it before you copy, change or share the code. Proprietary licences restrict use, copying, changing and sharing. The owner decides what is allowed.

Common mistakes: The string is missing its closing quote, which causes a syntax error. It should be licence = 'MIT'. The GPL is an open-source licence, so open_source should be True. Setting it to False gives the wrong result.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 97–130) and word search (Modules 49–130).

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Learning

Duo

What does a software licence state?

How fast the code will run on your computerHow you may use, change and share the code

Matches

# Open source, so no credit needed

↓

Open-source code still has a licence. Many licences require attribution, so you must credit the author.

Applying

Meanings

Term

software licence

Meaning

A legal agreement stating how you may use, change and share code. Open-source licences allow reuse if you follow their terms, such as giving credit to the author.

Practice

Type out real code from this module.

Testing

Gaps

# Licence type: - no copying

Check Answer

Spots

1licence = 'MIT

2must_credit = True

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Quick Questions

1. What does a software licence state?

A. How fast the code will run on your computer

B. How you may use, change and share the code ✓

A software licence is a legal agreement. It sets out what you are allowed to do with the code.

2. Open-source code can be reused if you follow the licence terms.

A. False

B. True ✓

Open-source does not mean 'no rules'. You may reuse the code as long as you follow the licence conditions.

3. Which is a typical condition of an open-source licence?

A. Give credit (attribution) to the original author ✓

B. Pay the author a fee every time you run the code

Many open-source licences require attribution. They do not usually charge you to run the code.

4. A student finds open-source code online. What should they do first?

A. Read the licence to see what is allowed ✓

B. Assume they can do anything with it

The licence tells you your rights and duties. Check it before you copy, change or share the code.

5. Which describes a proprietary licence?

A. The owner keeps tight control over how the software is used and shared ✓

B. Anyone may freely change and share the code with no limits

Proprietary licences restrict use, copying, changing and sharing. The owner decides what is allowed.

Match the Pairs

# License: MIT - keep copyright notice → An open-source licence that lets you reuse and change the code if you keep the author's copyright notice

A licence condition such as attribution means you must credit the original author when you reuse their code → # Code by A. Lee, used under MIT licence

Open-source code can be reused only if you follow the terms in its licence file → Read LICENSE.txt before reusing code

# Open source, so no credit needed → Open-source code still has a licence. Many licences require attribution, so you must credit the author.

# Copied from a paid app, it is free to share → Code under a proprietary licence cannot be shared without the owner's permission, so this breaks the licence.

Key Term

software licence

A legal agreement stating how you may use, change and share code. Open-source licences allow reuse if you follow their terms, such as giving credit to the author.

Fill in the Blanks

1. # Licence type: proprietary - no copying

Hint: Type the kind of licence where the owner keeps the code closed and limits copying.

2. # Licence type: open-source - reuse allowed

Hint: Type the kind of licence that lets others reuse code if they follow its terms.

3. # Condition: attribution - credit the author

Hint: Type the licence condition that requires you to give credit to the original author.

4. # You may use, change and share this code

Hint: Type the action, along with using and changing, that a licence says you may do with code.

5. licence = "open-source" if licence == "open-source": print("Credit the author")

Hint: Type the keyword that starts a decision that checks a condition.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A licence = 'MIT

B must_credit = True

C if must_credit:

D print('Give credit')

Line A — The string is missing its closing quote, which causes a syntax error. It should be licence = 'MIT'.

Question 2

A licence = 'GPL'

B open_source = False

C if open_source:

D print('Check the terms')

Line B — The GPL is an open-source licence, so open_source should be True. Setting it to False gives the wrong result.

Question 3

A licence = 'proprietary'

B can_copy = False

C if not can_copy

D print('Ask the owner')

Line C — An if statement needs a colon at the end of the line. It should be if not can_copy:

Question 4

A author = 'Sam Lee'

B credit = 'Code by ' - author

C print(credit)

Line B — Strings are joined with +, not -. Subtracting a string causes an error. It should be + author.

Question 5

A licence = 'CC BY'

B needs_credit = True

C if needs_credit:

D print('Add attribution'

Line D — The print call is missing its closing bracket. It should be print('Add attribution').

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