The Legal Side of Sharing Software: Software Licensing

Intro

Have you ever forked a respository without looking at its software license? It’s easy for developers to unintentionally violate licenses, especially if they aren’t informed about what they are, leading to potential legal troubles. This blog post by Fernando Galano breaks down the complexities of software licensing, providing clarity on a topic that is often overlooked, but is vital for anyone involved in software development.

Summary of Source

The blog post explores the concept of software licensing, covering its purpose, types, and implications.

  1. What is a Software License?: An explanation of how licenses define the terms under which software can be used, modified, and distributed.
  2. Types of Licenses: An overview of open-source and proprietary licenses, including popular ones like the GNU General Public License (GPL), MIT License, and Apache License. It also explains what a copyleft license is as well as what a permissive license is.
  3. Why Licensing Matters: A discussion of how licensing affects collaboration, compliance, and intellectual property rights. It describes the benefits of licensing from the standpoint of both developers and users.
  4. Best Practices for Choosing and Using Licenses: Practical tips for selecting appropriate licenses for projects and understanding license compatibility.

The blog is an introductory resource for open-source software usage and distribution. It doesn’t go into excruciating detail, with pages upon pages of technical terms, but it does cover the basics and anyone interested in furthering their knowledge on software licenses should explore more sources.

Why I Chose This Blog

I chose this blog because it addresses a topic that is often overlooked in technical coursework but is integral to professional software development. As I aspire to work as a software developer, understanding licensing will help me avoid legal complications and help my work be protected. The blog’s concise explanations and practical examples make it an ideal resource for building foundational knowledge in this area.

Reflection of Source

The blog post provided a clear and structured overview of software licensing, breaking down confusing legal jargon into digestible information. One aspect that particularly stood out to me was the explanation of the differences between permissive and copyleft licenses. For instance, I now understand how the MIT License offers flexibility by allowing modification and redistribution with minimal restrictions, while the GPL ensures that derivative works remain open-source. Reading about software licenses makes me realize how easy it is to unintentionally violate licensing terms due to a lack of awareness. Before learning about licenses I had never even considered that I might be violating the original creators intentions when deriving their work. This blog has made me more vigilant about understanding and respecting licensing terms, ensuring that my future projects remain legally sound.

Future Application

As I move forward in my career, the knowledge gained about licenses will shape how I approach software usage and distribution. When contributing to open-source projects, I will carefully evaluate license terms to make sure it aligns with my goals. Also, while working professionally, I’ll advocate for the proper review of licensing agreements to prevent legal risks. This understanding also allows me to choose the right license when publishing my own work, depending on the terms I would like others to follow. By adhering to licensing norms, I aim to contribute to a more ethical and collaborative development environment.

Citation

Understanding Software Licensing by Fernando Galano https://www.bairesdev.com/blog/understanding-software-licensing/.

From the blog CS@Worcester – The Science of Computation by Adam Jacher and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Copyright and Licensing

In today’s world of software development, understanding copyright and licensing is crucial for ensuring compliance with intellectual property and collaborative innovation. Developers often work with software libraries, tools, and frameworks created by others. Without a solid grasp of licensing terms, there’s a risk of infringing on someone else’s rights or unintentionally exposing some proprietary code to the public.

What is Copyright in Software?

Software copyright provides legal protection for the code written by developers, categorizing it as intellectual property. It grants the original creator exclusive rights to use, modify, distribute, and license their work. In most jurisdictions, as soon as a piece of code is written, it’s automatically copyrighted, even without a explicit registration.

However, copyright doesn’t cover ideas, or methods used in the software it only protects the specific implementation of those ideas in code. This means that while you can’t copy someone’s code without permission, you can write your own implementation of a concept.

The Types of Software Licenses

In class we learned about Software licenses and how they specify the terms under which code can be used, modified, and distributed. They range from very permissive to highly restrictive. Some common types include:

  1. Open Source Licenses: These allow anyone to view, use, and often modify the code. Examples include:
    • MIT License: Permissive, allowing almost any use, including commercial purposes, as long as the original copyright notice is included.
    • GNU General Public License (GPL): Requires that any modified version of the code also be released under the GPL, ensuring that derivative works remain open.
    • Apache License(s): Permits use and distribution, even for commercial purposes, but includes a clause protecting contributors from patent claims.
  2. Proprietary Licenses: These are restrictive and usually prevent users from modifying or distributing the software. Examples include end-user license agreements that accompany commercial software for example like Microsoft Office.
  3. Creative Commons Licenses: While more common in creative works like music or literature, some software projects use Creative Commons to specify usage rights.

How to Choose the Right License

When releasing software, selecting the appropriate license is vital. If you want maximum collaboration and sharing, permissive licenses like MIT or Apache might be ideal. However, if you want to ensure that your work remains open source in derivatives, a copyleft license like GPL is a better choice.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Read the License: Always read and understand the terms before using third-party software. Misinterpreting a license can lead legal issues.
  2. Attribute Properly: Many licenses, even permissive ones, require attribution to the original author.
  3. Derivative Rules: If you modify software under a restrictive license like GPL, you must release your changes under the same license.
  4. Protecting Your Work: If you’re releasing your own software, choose a license that aligns with your goals for sharing or monetization.

Resources

From the blog CS@Worcester – function & form by Nathan Bui and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

To Be Agile

I recently came across a blog post on LucidSpark titled What Is Agile Methodology? that explains the basics of Agile and its role in modern software development. Agile is a project management and software development approach that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback. The methodology breaks down large projects into smaller, manageable chunks called sprints—usually lasting a few weeks. This approach allows teams to adapt quickly to changes, make continuous improvements, and deliver working software regularly. The blog goes on to explain the Agile Manifesto, which highlights values like individuals and interactions over processes and tools, and customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

I chose this article because it offers a clear, easy-to-understand explanation of Agile, a methodology that I’ve heard about a lot in my software engineering classes and in discussions about software projects. I wanted to learn more about it and see how it’s used in real-world development, especially since I might be using it in some of my future group projects. The post helped clarify some of the concepts I’ve learned in theory and gave me a better understanding of how Agile works in practice.

One of the most interesting takeaways from this article was the emphasis on adaptability. In traditional project management, there’s often a lot of upfront planning, but Agile is all about being able to adjust quickly to changes—whether that’s changes in customer requirements or new technologies. I realized that in software development, the ability to pivot and change direction is just as important as having a solid plan in the first place. This idea of “failing fast” and improving iteratively really resonated with me. I’ve noticed that when I work on assignments or personal projects, sometimes things don’t go as planned, and it’s frustrating to try and stick to a rigid approach. Agile’s flexibility seems like a better way to handle those situations.

Another part of the article that stood out was the focus on collaboration. Agile teams work closely together and communicate regularly, which is different from the more isolated approach I’ve seen in some projects where team members work separately and only come together at milestones. The post explained how frequent communication, daily stand-ups, and collaboration with customers can help create better products and avoid misunderstandings. This is something I want to keep in mind for group projects, especially in coding assignments where communication can make a huge difference in the quality of the work.

In my future career, I plan to apply what I’ve learned by adopting some Agile practices in my own projects. I want to be able emphasize collaboration and open communication in group assignments, which could lead to more efficient and effective teamwork.

Resource:

https://lucidspark.com/blog/what-is-agile-methodology

From the blog Computer Science From a Basketball Fan by Brandon Njuguna and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Design Smells – Decreasing Poor Design

While writing software it is important to know, how to maintain clean and understandable code. Despite best efforts, developers can unintentionally introduce code design smells precise indicators of deeper design problems. While these smells don’t directly cause bugs, they reduce code readability, maintainability, and scalability.

In class we learned the 6 common Design Smells, so I referenced the class materials and found an helpful article on Refactoring Guru. This webpage offers a practical explanation of common smells such as long methods, large classes, feature envy, and shotgun surgery.

Why I Selected This Resource

The reason why I chose this resource resonates with the principles we’ve covered in our class on software design and architecture. Its structured, accessible approach demystifies complex design issues, offering developers clear steps to refactor and improve their code. I’ve often seen myself facing challenges and struggling with tangled code where debugging or adding features feels almost somewhat overwhelming. These tools and insights help a and provide a roadmap for addressing such challenges systematically, and thoughtfully throughout the design process.

My Reflections on the Resource

The discussion on bloaters, like long methods and large classes, I think this was particularly something worth learning. These smells arise when a method or class tries to handle too much, violating the Single Responsibility Principle. I realized that in past projects, I’ve struggled with methods growing unmanageably large as features were added. Refactoring Guru suggests breaking these methods into smaller, more focused ones using techniques like extract method, improving both readability and reusability.

Another key takeaway was the concept of change preventers, such as shotgun surgery, where making a small change requires altering code in multiple places. This often signals that responsibilities are poorly distributed across the system. The resource recommends consolidating functionality into a single class or method, reducing the risk of errors and making future updates more straightforward.

Applications for Future Practices

Refactoring Guru’s emphasis on identifying smells early and refactoring incrementally aligns well with agile development practices. Moving forward, I plan to use this more than one of these materials as a checklist during code reviews to spot and address issues proactively. Techniques like extract method, extract class, and move method will hopefully become part of my tools for tackling coupled code. By continuing improving my skills to detect and refactor code smells, I want to create cleaner, more sustainable codebases that will be easier for both my team and future developers to work with. Thank you for reading my blog post and I hope you learned some

https://refactoring.guru/refactoring

https://refactoring.guru/refactoring/smells

From the blog CS@Worcester – function & form by Nathan Bui and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The Secret To Maintainable and Scalable Software: SOLID Principles

Intro

Imagine inheriting a massive, poorly designed codebase. Every change you make breaks something else. For software developers, such nightmares can be avoided by adhering to the SOLID principles, a foundational guideline for creating maintainable, scalable systems. These principles are a must-know for any software developer seeking to improve the quality of their work. They provide a roadmap for developers to create cleaner, more maintainable codebases, which is why I was drawn to this resource

Blog Summary

The blog goes through each of the five principles, explaining what they are, why they are important, and giving a code examples utilizing each one.

1. Single Responsibility Principle (SRP): A class should have only one reason to change, ensuring focused and cohesive functionality. The blog illustrates SRP with an example of separating user management from content creation, showing how this approach simplifies debugging and enhances code clarity.

2. Open-Closed Principle (OCP): Software entities should be open for extension but closed for modification, promoting adaptability without risking existing functionality. For OCP, the blog demonstrates how using inheritance and interfaces allows developers to add new functionality, using Square and Rectangle classes inheriting from the Shape base class.

3. Liskov Substitution Principle (LSP): Subtypes must be substitutable for their base types without altering the correctness of the program. The example provided for LSP highlights how properly designed subclasses, such as an Eagle and a Penguin inheriting from a Bird class, ensure seamless substitution without breaking the program.

4. Interface Segregation Principle (ISP): Clients should not be forced to depend on interfaces they do not use, encouraging lean and specific interfaces. In discussing ISP, the blog uses an example of splitting a large interface into smaller, more specific ones, ensuring that classes only implement what they actually need.

5. Dependency Inversion Principle (DIP): High-level modules should not depend on low-level modules but instead rely on abstractions. For DIP, the blog explains how decoupling high-level modules from low-level details using abstraction layers, like interfaces, makes the codebase more flexible and easier to maintain.

Why I chose this resource

I selected this blog to write about because it breaks down each principle in a concise way, clearly explaining each one in a way that is easy to understand at all levels. It’s a great resource to quickly go back to when you need a refresher on any of the principles.

Reflection on SOLID

After learning about SOLID, I see that it might take an extra step of thinking to adhere to the principles at first, but I think it’s well worth it for the resulting code structure. The easy way to code is messily throwing together code that works without a second thought, but doing that is very dangerous for the longevity of a program. I believe that after following SOLID for a while it will become second nature and will become the natural way of coding, which is why I think it’s important to learn about SOLID early and consciously until it does become a subconscious practice. In one of my past projects, I struggled with messy code that implemented multiple responsibilities in one class. Debugging it was a nightmare, but had I known about the SRP principle it could have been avoided entirely. Reflecting on these principles has already influenced how I plan on approaching my code, and I’m eager to incorporate them into my future work.

Future Application

Given the importance of SOLID principles for large-scale software, I believe it’s essential to internalize and apply them in future projects to thrive in the software development space. By crafting modular classes and reducing dependency, I aim to create services and systems that are easy to maintain and adapt as requirements expand and evolve.

Citation

“Essential Software Design Principles You Should Know Before the Interview” By Arslan Ahmad

https://www.designgurus.io/blog/essential-software-design-principles-you-should-know-before-the-interview

From the blog CS@Worcester – The Science of Computation by Adam Jacher and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Team Management Strategies

Throughout the beginning half of my Fall 2024 semester, I’ve learned about development processes such as environments, strategies, and team policies. As the year has progressed I wanted to know more about the development process of software before beginning my blogs. After tackling AGILE and Scrum I have been interested in seeing other ways of team management, and potential connections back to AGILE. To begin in understanding these processes I first found an article designed around general team management. This article is found on desktime.com, and it is not focused particularly on computer science, but on managing a team. The article’s title is A guide to team management: Strategies and techniques to help you succeed by Viesturs Abelis

This post outlines key strategies for effective team management to boost productivity and morale. It first emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive team culture, where employees feel valued and heard, mentioning Google’s Project Aristotle which found that psychological safety and feeling heard are crucial for team success. The article states that managers should engage actively with their team, foster inclusivity, and lead confidently. It is stressed that managers must be considered part of the team. The article also mentions the need for a clear vision and direction, including both long-term goals like a mission statement and short-term objectives like Key Performance Indicators and Objectives and Key Results. It highlights that employees are more motivated when they connect personally to the organization’s values. The use of productivity software is also recommended to improve team management. Tools for time tracking, performance evaluation, and project tracking provide valuable data, helping managers optimize team performance and streamline workflow. The article continues to reaffirm that team management combines fostering a positive culture, setting a clear direction, and using the right tools to enhance productivity and success.

This was a good article to step into team and development-based blogs, as it is a very broad and applicable subject matter. This is a key step in constructing a blog based on understanding development environments and processes. Without having a baseline understanding of team management, tactics like AGILE can be confusing to grasp. I wish to refine my knowledge in this area and prepare for working in and managing teams going forward into classes like CS-448. Next in my blog I will look into articles relating to development environments, such as Docker or GitPod, or look into articles based around AGILE and Scrum principles.

Source:https://desktime.com/blog/team-management

From the blog CS@Worcester – WSU CS Blog: Ben Gelineau by Ben Gelineau and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Smelly and Debt

I recently read an article on Opsera titled What Is Code Smell? that explores the concept of code smells and how they relate to technical debt. The article explains that code smells are indicators of deeper issues in software design, like redundant code, overly complex functions, or lack of proper documentation. While these smells don’t necessarily cause bugs, they can make the code harder to maintain or extend in the future. Technical debt, on the other hand, refers to the trade-off between short-term efficiency and long-term code quality. It’s like borrowing from the future to meet deadlines now, but it eventually has to be repaid with interest—usually in the form of extra work to fix the issues caused by the shortcuts taken.

I chose this resource because it gives a practical explanation of two topics that I’ve encountered in my software engineering classes: design smells and technical debt. These are concepts that seemed theoretical at first, but this article helped me understand how they show up in real-world projects. As I start working on my own coding assignments, I can see how these issues might impact my projects if I don’t pay attention to them early on.

The article made me realize just how crucial it is to identify and address code smells early in the development process. For example, the article points out that long methods and duplicated code can be a sign of poor design that will slow down future changes. At first, I thought that refactoring or improving code design was something only necessary when a project was nearing completion. But now I understand that addressing these problems early can save a lot of time and effort in the long run.

What really stood out to me was the connection between technical debt and long-term project maintenance. As a student, it’s easy to think that as long as the code works, it’s good enough. But this article emphasized that taking shortcuts to meet deadlines may create technical debt that leads to problems later, such as bugs or a codebase that’s difficult to work with. I’ve already seen this in my own projects—trying to push through a solution quickly, only to realize later that the code is harder to manage than I expected.

In the future, I plan to pay more attention to clean code practices. I’ll aim to refactor code regularly and avoid taking shortcuts that might seem like a quick fix but could lead to bigger problems. This approach will not only improve my coding skills but also make my future projects more maintainable.

Resource:

What Is Code Smell? – Opsera Blog

From the blog Computer Science From a Basketball Fan by Brandon Njuguna and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Understanding SOLID Principles: A Guide

As a student learning software design, I’ve heard about the SOLID principles in class, but I wanted to dive deeper to understand how to actually use them. I came across a blog post called “SOLID Principles — The Definitive Guide” by Midhun Vincent on Medium, which breaks down each of the five principles in a way that makes sense for someone new to object-oriented design. The guide was really helpful and lined up well with what we’re covering in my course, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how these principles could improve my coding now and in the future.

The article explains the SOLID principles, which are five important guidelines for creating object-oriented software that’s easier to understand, maintain, and extend. The first principle, the Single Responsibility Principle (SRP), says that each class should do only one thing, making it easier to maintain and modify. The Open/Closed Principle (OCP) suggests that classes should be open for extension but closed for modification, meaning you can add features without changing the original code. The Liskov Substitution Principle (LSP) ensures that subclasses can replace their parent class without breaking the system. The Interface Segregation Principle (ISP) advises creating small, specific interfaces rather than large, general ones. Finally, the Dependency Inversion Principle (DIP) suggests that high-level modules should depend on abstractions, not low-level modules, which makes the code more flexible. These principles help make code cleaner, more modular, and easier to adapt over time.

I picked this article because, while the SOLID principles are useful, they can seem pretty abstract at first. The post explains them in a way that feels practical, with examples that make it easier to apply the principles to real-world coding problems. Plus, the examples connected well with the projects I’ve worked on in my course, especially when it comes to organizing code and making it easier to debug. Seeing how these principles prevent code from becoming too messy gave me a new way of thinking about my own assignments.

My Takeaways and Reflection

Before reading this post, I knew the basic ideas behind SOLID, but I wasn’t sure how to apply them in my own code. Now, I get why each principle is important and how they can save time by reducing debugging and refactoring. For example, the Single Responsibility Principle made me realize that I often give classes too many responsibilities, which complicates fixing bugs. By applying SRP, I can keep things simpler and reduce errors.

Looking ahead, I plan to use these principles in my projects, especially the Open/Closed Principle and Interface Segregation Principle. I can see how they’ll help me write code that’s easier to update and adapt. Understanding SOLID will definitely give me a strong foundation as I take on more complex projects in the future.

Resource:

View at Medium.com

View at Medium.com

From the blog Computer Science From a Basketball Fan by Brandon Njuguna and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Version Control

Source: https://www.spiceworks.com/tech/devops/articles/what-is-version-control/

This article is titled “What Is Version Control? Meaning, Tools, and Advantages.” The main purpose of version control is to “track the progress of code across development and iterations and also aids in managing changes during the life cycle.” Records are kept of all changes with names, timestamps, and other important information. So, the process by which software code is monitored and the way in which changes are made is called version control. A huge benefit of version control is being able to look at the revision history and determine where problems originated from, and who caused them to happen. This allows for increased efficiency regarding workflow considering that the time required to locate problems is greatly reduced. Another benefit of version control is branching. “Branching is a distinct approach to version control where development programs are duplicated for parallel versions of development while keeping the original and working on the branch or making separate modifications to each.” This allows for enhanced collaboration where development is increased, issues are resolved, and code remains organized. A couple very popular version control tools are Git and GitHub. The creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds, created Git. The memory footprint of Git isn’t vast and is able to follow changes in any files. It is a very simple version control system and as a result is used by top companies such as Google. GitHub is a service that enables development teams to collaborate and keep track of all their code changes in a cloud environment. GitHub is secure and reliable, and as a result is also widely used. Through the use of a version control system the following can be achieved: “streamline merging and branching, examination/experimentation with code, the ability to operate offline, creation of regular/automated backups, communication through open channels.” Overall version control aids in the maintenance of reliable code bases and enforces accountability for effective collaborative development. 

I selected this article because we are actively learning about version control in class right now so I figured it’d be the perfect time to read up on it more. Reading the GitKit chapters has exposed me to different git commands and GitHub usage. It was interesting to read in this article about all of the in-depth benefits that version control offers and clearly showcases why even top companies such as Google use it to optimize their workflow. In future practice, whether it be at a job or while working on an individual project, I will use version control to improve collaboration and the ease of maintenance of my code.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Shawn In Tech by Shawn Budzinski and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Scrum in Action: Lessons from Spotify’s Agile Journey

One of the topics we covered in Software Process Management this year is Scrum. I’ve always been curious about how big companies and tech corporations manage their teams and make everything work smoothly. In the article “Achieving Team Purpose and Pride with Scrum” by Sophia Ciocca, a Web Engineer at Spotify, she shares her team’s journey to creating a more efficient and structured routine using Scrum principles.

Sophia starts by describing the struggles her team faced when they first tried applying Scrum. Meetings felt unproductive, sprints were often left unfinished, and there was little connection between their daily tasks and long-term goals. To fix these issues, Sophia’s team reached out to a Spotify Agile Coach and decided to adopt the full Scrum framework, as outlined in the Scrum Guide.

This shift involved several key changes, like holding weekly backlog refinement sessions, simplifying sprint planning, improving sprint reviews, focusing retrospectives on actionable steps, and enhancing stand-ups. These adjustments helped the team stay aligned, better understand their workload, and communicate more effectively.

The results were impressive. The team’s efficiency improved significantly, and tasks were completed faster. They even tripled their monthly active users without adding more team members. Most importantly, the team gained confidence in their work and a stronger sense of pride and purpose.

I chose this article because it directly relates to the Agile methodologies and Scrum Guide we’ve discussed in class. I also wanted to understand how big companies use these frameworks to foster teamwork and efficiency. It’s fascinating to see how systems like Scrum can make a huge difference in how teams work together.

Sophia’s story highlights an important Agile principle: “responding to change over following a plan.” Her team’s ability to adapt their process while staying true to Scrum principles was key to their success. One of my main takeaways is that asking for help, like Sophia did by reaching out to an Agile Coach, can lead to growth and positive change.

As I prepare for my career in tech, learning how to implement Agile and Scrum effectively is crucial. This article showed me how small changes, like adding confidence checks to stand-ups, can improve teamwork and productivity. I’m excited to apply these insights in my future career and work with teams that value collaboration and continuous improvement.

Sources:

Achieving Team Purpose and Pride with Scrum

Citation:
Spotify Engineering, S. C. (2022, January 27). Achieving team purpose and pride with Scrum. https://engineering.atspotify.com/2021/05/achieving-team-purpose-and-pride-with-scrum/ 

From the blog CS@Worcester – CodedBear by donna abayon and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.