11/10/2014 Glossaries

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Home My courses Computing Senior Computing 12SDD Social and Ethical Considerations SOC EC
Glossary
Monday, 10 November 2014, 3:59 pm

Site: Ryde Secondary College

Course: Software Design Development (12SDD)
Glossary: SOC EC Glossary
C

copyright laws

Copyright laws are the legal regulation to safeguard the legal intellectual property rights of authors of any original works. The
purpose of copyright laws is to provide economic encouragement for creative activity and promote the progress of creative
effort. When the expression of a idea is covered by copyright laws, the owner has right to reproduce the work.

The current copyright act in Australia was written in 1968 but it's modified all the time because of the development of new
technologies. A significant amendment to Australian copyright laws was passed in 2006 (The Copyright Amendment Act 2006).
This modification bring largely Australian and United States copyright laws by singing the free trade agreement between the two
nations. The major addition includes: making it illegal to remove technical copy protection measures and making it legal to make
copies of material for person use.

Forexamplethetelevision,radioandmusicarelegallyallowedtorecordforpersonaluseat
alatertimebutcan'tbedistributedtoothers.

The copyright laws of Australia!

The copyright laws of software in Australia!

Decompilation

Decompilation is the act of using a decompiler. It can be used for the recovery of lost source code, and is also useful in some
cases for computer security, interoperability and error correction. The success of decompilation depends on the amount of
information present in the code being decompiled and the sophistication of the analysis performed on it.

Free Software

Software which allows the user to successfully exercise their four essential freedoms:

1. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
2. The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a
precondition for this.
3. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
4. The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits
(freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

There is a clear distinction between open source software and free software. Free software focuses on the ethical
considerations of the use of proprietary software, while open source software merely focuses on the practical advantages of
making your source code "open".

N.B. The term "free" refers to freedom, not price. Think "free speech" not "free beer".

Intellectual Property (IP)

Intellectual property is a legal concept which refers to creations of the mind for which exclusive rights are recognized. Intellectual
Property (IP) is a term that describes the application of the mind to develop something new or original. IP can exist in various

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11/10/2014 Glossaries
forms; a new invention, brand, design or artistic creation.

Malware

Malicious Software designed to damage or perform unwanted actions on computer Systems.

Open Source

Open source is when someone allows their design or blueprint to be used. It includes source code that is available to the
general public for use and/ or modification form its original design.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or
expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work. The idea remains problematic with unclear definitions
and unclear rules. The modern concept of plagiarism as immoral and originality as an ideal emerged in Europe only in the 18th
century, particularly with the Romantic movement.

This is my own work.

Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering is where an imitating company takes the product of an inovative company, disesembles it to see how it
works, and makes their own version.

Software licence Agreement

Software licences are the enforcement of copyright laws for the intellectual property of software.It's used to protect the
intellectual property of software developer by legal action. The following licence terminology should be understood between the
purchaser and the seller:

Licence: it gives user formal permission to use a product

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