Page 41 - Management Digest Udyama Vol 1 Isuue 2

Copyright vs. Copyleft Benefits of FOSS Models given the reason the software
program is freely accessible to
Copyright exists to protect The benefits of FOSS persuade anyone for any purpose.
original contributors’ rights as the attraction of more and
literal work, and it prevents more developers as well as Policy Road Map on FOSS
others from copying or selling users worldwide. Compared to
property owners’ rights. It also traditional proprietary software, The government intervention and
infers that anyone who wants the FOSS community enjoys upheld policies are imperatives for
to use the copyrighted software enormous benefits in terms of propagating the FOSS initiatives
needs to get permission from technical, socio-economic, and among the wider stakeholder
the original creator of literal legal context. Technically, the community. The government
work. Conversely, the program quality and reliability of FOSS are policies should be directed to
developer’s wish is to leave the very high as several individuals supply-side inducements and
program for free use; the best way contribute to the advancement demand persuasion regarding
is to pass it to the public domain of the software program. As the FOSS. It is also vital to make
as an uncopyrighted program. FOSS allows many to contribute sure the accessibility of
Software program which is in and progress, the development downstream communities in
the public domain is not only and deployment are very fast. the country through policy
freely accessible to anyone to Given the intention of sharing the directions. A wider ICT-based
use for any purpose but also source code, others can develop human capital development is
allows to modify and customize a customized software solution an important and key advantage
fit it into ones need. The other to their specific issues. Apart of FOSS. Also, more publicly
peculiarity of uncopyrighted from technical benefits, FOSS funded research-based software
software programs is that also brings enormous economic programs should be opened to
downstream users can pass the benefits. Unlike proprietary public use as FOSS with policies.
software program as a proprietary software licenses, there is not Designation of software program
software program after adding any licensing fee or royalties, or as FOSS enables the government
modifications. In addition to the sometimes a nominal fee. It gives institutions and private sector to
aforementioned four software an accessible ground for small use it by customizing according
freedom, the copyleft notice entities to afford FOSS licenses. to their requirements. The
further cements the freedom With the customized FOSS-based government policies on tax
to modify and redistribute the business solutions, emerging incentives should be in the
software. In other words, the entrepreneurs can form their own forefront to relieve software
copyleft provision further ensures start-ups. The FOSS licenses developers who subsequently
the right of the downstream uses’ are not subjected to tough legal opens them as FOSS.
right to use the original source obligations; as a result, the legal
code and the modified software fees are negligible. Also, FOSS is Concluding Remark
code. less likely of infringement cases,
This article precisely explored
the IP regimes for a software
program. The software programs
are protectable as copyright
Copyright exists to protect and patent in most of the
jurisdictions in the world. The
original contributors’ traditional proprietary software
rights as literal work, and development has been outpaced
by FOSS in the past two decades.
it prevents others from Compared to proprietary
licenses, FOSS licenses offer
copying or selling property more permission and freedom to
users. In the world now, FOSS-
owners’ rights. based software development
and FOSS licensing are widely
being used in view of creating
enormous economic values for
the nations.

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