Final Post

As part of our "final exam" type thing for Business and Legal Aspects of FOSS class, I get to answer some reflective questions that we chose as a class.  Here are the final questions and my responses below:

• When does code you create become copyrighted?
• As soon as the idea gets transferred from your brain into a tangible form.  If you're eating dinner somewhere and a brilliant idea hits you, you can write it down on a napkin and it's copyrighted.
  
• If you could wave a magic wand, and open source any piece of proprietary software, what software would you choose?
• I would carefully aim the wand at Apple's OS UI and apps, just because I like the look and feel of the Apple OS and would love to hack on it.  I would have said Microsoft Windows, but I figure a lot of other people are going to pick that.
  
• If the software above was open sourced, would it's company remain stable?  How would the company continue to make money?
• I would argue that Apple makes a ton of money just from developing hardware that by default has to run their software, so I don't think they would really take all that big of a hit from open sourcing what I mentioned...but they won't do it.
  
• What do you feel like was the most beneficial thing to learn in the class?
• All of the legal stuff - Copyright, Copyleft, Patent, Trademark, Licensing, TOS, etc.  It was like my eyes were opened to a whole other world, and suddenly everything made sense.
• Also really thought the business models were really beneficial to learn.
  
• Explain some of the motivations a company may have to open source software.
• Direct connection to customers
• Lots of eyes make any bug small
• Basically giant stream of free workers
• Quick fixes
• Trust and reliability
• Customization
  
• Are there any changes you would suggest making to the profile template?  What parts did you find most interesting or important?
• I think we should go more in depth on the business models for each company.  I also think it would be cool to have a whole section for any controversies, serious issues, recent news, or lawsuits that the company has run into, as I know my group found these things to be really fun to look in to.  I think the community architecture and organizational details are crucial.
  
• If you could have spent more time, say an extra week, on any topic, which would you have liked to cover more in depth?
• Any of the legal things - patents, trademarks, etc.
• Definitely the different business models
  
• Why are you using insert license X here for your open source project?
• I usually talk to people about my project before deciding on a license because I am too lazy to choose one myself.  Alternatively, if other people are working on the project, I let them decide and hope they didn't make a mistake.
  
• If you would suggest a video to be watched as part of this course, what would it be?
• Decause's Ted Talk(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZxI2ZqSyrA)
• TPB AFK(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2608732/)
• The Internet's Own Boy(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3268458/)
• Shrek(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/)