UNIVERSITY OF LUCKNOW

BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATION

YEAR: THIRD, SEMESTER –V
BCA-5053
Open Source Software

10 Important Questions:

1. What is Open Source Software (OSS)? Discuss five Open source software in brief. How it is useful to
small Business?

Solution: Open source software is software developed and maintained through open collaboration. It is
made available for anyone to use, examine, alter and redistribute however they like, typically at no cost.

Open source contrasts with proprietary or closed-source software applications, such as Microsoft Word or
Adobe Illustrator, for example. The creator or copyright holder sells the proprietary or closed source
software to end users, who are not allowed to edit, enhance or redistribute the product except as specified
by the copyright holder.

The term "open source" also refers more generally to a community-based approach to creating any
intellectual property, such as software, through open collaboration, inclusiveness, transparency and
frequent public updates.

Some of the most prevalent open source software applications include:

 The Linux® operating system, an open source alternative to the Unix operating system
 Mozilla Firefox, a web browser originally based on Netscape Navigator
 LibreOffice, a suite of office productivity apps that rival Microsoft Office
 GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), an open source alternative to Adobe Photoshop
 VLC Media Player, a cross-platform app for viewing videos
Open source software (OSS) can be useful to small businesses in many ways, including:

 Cost effectiveness: OSS is often less expensive than proprietary software.

 Better quality: OSS is often considered to have fewer flaws and better quality than commercially
developed software.

 More control: With OSS, users have more control over the code and how they use it.

 No supplier dependence: OSS users are not locked into a relationship with a particular software
company.

 Easier license management: OSS licenses generally allow users to use the software as many times and in
as many places as they want.

 Transparency: OSS provides full source code, allowing businesses to understand the software's inner
workings.

2. Discuss needs, applications and advantages of Open Source Software in detail.

Solution: Open source software is important for many reasons, including:

Flexibility

Open source software is flexible because developers can modify the source code to meet their
needs. This allows for more customization and innovation.

Stability

Open source software is stable because the source code is publicly available and maintained by a
community of developers.

Cost

Open source software is often free or low cost, making it an alternative to proprietary software.

Security

Open source software is often more secure because the code is publicly available for review by many
developers.

Open source software (OSS) has many advantages, including:

 Cost-effectiveness: OSS has lower starting costs and more robust support for releases.

 Reliability: OSS is created for general use and development, so it's reliable and backed by expert
developer support.

 Transparency: OSS licenses ensure that code changes are available to all users for free, which promotes
transparency and collaboration.

 Security: OSS has better security because experts from all over look for and fix security loopholes.

 Scalability: OSS is designed to be scalable, so businesses can easily add new functionality and handle
increased workloads.

 Flexibility: OSS offers more control over the software and more flexible software development
processes.

 Training: OSS can help people become better programmers.

Some examples of open source software include:

 Linux, which is widely used for servers and devices

 Mozilla Firefox and Chromium, which are open-source web browser choices
 LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice, which are free alternatives to Microsoft Office

 WordPress and Joomla, which aid in website creation

3. What are the features of Open Source Software?

Solution: Features of Open Source Software

Open source software may not be big on monetization, but it is still considered highly valuable. These
are features that go beyond monetization, and often beyond the scope of proprietary software. These
features are:

1. Freedom: The “free” in “free and open source software” means more than just a lack of a price tag.
Open source software offers users the freedom to use the software as they please. They can run the
software anywhere be it on the cloud or in an on-site data center, for absolutely any purpose that serves
them. They’re free to modify and adapt the software to their own specific requirements, and are also
free in a sense that they are not locked to a particular vendor or that vendor’s system.

2. Innovation: With the freedom that comes with open source comes the boundless freedom of the
community to collaborate, innovate and diversify. This brings about software innovation at a speed,
scale and diversity that no proprietary software could ever match. Communities are not only allowed
but encouraged to expand and refine current open source software, making new, better and more
precise software solutions.

3. Integration: Easy integration with existing infrastructure is a significant consideration when it comes
to selecting software, and in this area open source software excels. Many enterprises agree that this
feature often trumps low cost and even performance speed.

4. Continuity: It’s become the best option for enterprises seeking to keep up or stay ahead of their
competition, and it continues to grow and improve. With the freedom to fork and develop open source
projects to unique needs, there’s also some assurance that no matter what, the software you need will
always be available to you.

Cost savings
Open source components are often free to use, which can help companies operate on leaner budgets.
Transparency
Since the source code is available for anyone to review, it's harder for malicious code to remain
hidden.
Security
The transparency of open source software makes it easier to identify and address potential security
issues.
Agility
Open source software offers many ways to solve problems, and every bit of code is visible and
accessible.

4. What is the difference between open source and closed source software?

Solution: Differences Between Open Source and Closed Source Software

Parameters Open Source Software Closed Source Software

Abbreviation Commonly known as OSS. Commonly known as CSS.
Source Code The source code is public and open to all. The source code is closed and protected
Accessibility from public access.
Modification of The code can be freely modified by any user or Only the creator or the authorized
Software organization, thanks to its open-source nature. organization can modify the code.
Cost OSS is usually free or low-cost. CSS is generally more expensive due to
licensing fees.
User Restrictions Minimal to no restrictions on the modification Users are bound by license agreements
or usage of the software. that restrict software modification and
usage.
Programmer Programmers often compete for recognition in Recognition of programmers is usually
Recognition the open-source community. within the organization.
Programmer All programmers can suggest improvements, Only hired programmers within the
Feedback which are incorporated if approved by the organization can suggest
software developers. improvements.
Team Size A large OSS project may involve numerous The team size in a CSS project is
programmers working in teams. usually limited.
Code Purchase The source code is included with the software The software can be purchased without
purchase. the source code.
Installation OSS can be installed on any device. A valid license is required to install
Requirements CSS on a device.
Error Handling OSS is known for quick error detection and CSS provides robust error handling and
resolution. prevention mechanisms.
Responsibility Responsibility for OSS is not assigned to any The vendor is responsible for the CSS.
specific individual or organization.
Examples Linux, Apache, WordPress, Drupal, Audacity, Windows OS, Adobe Photoshop,
LibreOffice, etc. iTunes, Microsoft Office Suite,
AutoCAD, etc.

5. List and explain system calls used in process scheduling in Linux.

Solution: A system call is a procedure that provides the interface between a process and the operating
system. It is the way by which a computer program requests a service from the kernel of the operating
system.
Different operating systems execute different system calls.
In Linux, making a system call involves transferring control from unprivileged user mode to privileged
kernel mode; the details of this transfer vary from architecture to architecture. The libraries take care of
collecting the system-call arguments and, if necessary, arranging those arguments in the special form
necessary to make the system call.
System calls are divided into 5 categories mainly:
 Process Control
 File Management
 Device Management
 Information Maintenance
 Communication

Process Control :
This system calls perform the task of process creation, process termination, etc.
The Linux System calls under this are fork() , exit() , exec().
 fork()
o A new process is created by the fork() system call.
o A new process may be created with fork() without a new program being run-the new
sub-process simply continues to execute exactly the same program that the first (parent)
process was running.
o It is one of the most widely used system calls under process management.
 exit()
o The exit() system call is used by a program to terminate its execution.
o The operating system reclaims resources that were used by the process after the exit()
system call.
 exec()
o A new program will start executing after a call to exec()
o Running a new program does not require that a new process be created first: any
process may call exec() at any time. The currently running program is immediately
terminated, and the new program starts executing in the context of the existing process.
File Management :
File management system calls handle file manipulation jobs like creating a file, reading, and writing,
etc. The Linux System calls under this are open(), read(), write(), close().
 open():
o It is the system call to open a file.
o This system call just opens the file, to perform operations such as read and write, we
need to execute different system call to perform the operations.
 read():
o This system call opens the file in reading mode
o We can not edit the files with this system call.
o Multiple processes can execute the read() system call on the same file simultaneously.
 write():
o This system call opens the file in writing mode
o We can edit the files with this system call.
o Multiple processes can not execute the write() system call on the same file
simultaneously.
 close():
o This system call closes the opened file.

6. Define disk cloning in Linux. List out the various components of developing software in Linux
environment. Briefly discuss about them.

Solution: Everyone likes to have a copy of the disk drive to have a chance to recover. Even If you
don’t want a copy now – you will want when your first HDD will be broken. It is used to clone all of
the data from the initial etalon dump disk to several hosts disks. It will save you a huge portion-time.
But what is the action options to clone the disk – let’s look:
 have disk drive big enough to store your host disk drive dump in the file at this drive
 connect several disk drives to your local host and copy it set by set
 connect several disk drives to remote hosts and transmit your host disk drive data over the
network to remote hosts disk drives
ls is the command to list selected files by names: /dev/sda5 is a special file associated with disk drive
partition and just_a_file is a file at files system displayed by console. What is the difference in the
output? The first letter “b” shows that /dev/sda5 is a block device file – not just a file. Let’s look from
the inside of Linux: the global conception of data storage and manipulation at Linux is – “everything is
the file”. It means that even devices a Linux point of view can be represented as files.

Primary basic components :

1. Kernel - Kernel is the core part of Linux. It is responsible for all major activities of this
operating system. It consists of various modules and it interacts directly with the underlying
hardware. Kernel provides the required abstraction to hide low level hardware details to system
or application programs.
2. System Library - System libraries are special functions or programs using which application
programs or system utilities accesses Kernel's features. These libraries implement most of the
functionalities of the operating system and do not requires kernel module's code access rights.
 3. System Utility - System Utility programs are responsible to do specialized, individual level
tasks.

7. Explain sorting query result in MYSQL and Record Selection Technology.

8. Define PHP. Explain variables, constants, data types in PHP with example.

9. Explain string manipulation in PHP. Discuss about five string handling functions in PHP.

10. What is Perl? Explain various types of variables available in Perl.