Copyright Law · Open Source · Creative Commons · Software Licences
CSZoneEdexcel GCSE Computer Science 1CP2
What is Copyright?
Protecting Creative Work
Copyright is an automatic legal right that protects original creative works — including software, music, films, images, and written content. The creator owns the right to control how their work is used, copied, and distributed.
In the UK, copyright lasts for the creator's lifetime + 70 years
Copying, sharing, or selling copyrighted work without permission is illegal — even digitally
Piracy: illegally downloading or distributing music, films, games or software is copyright infringement
Software Licences
Who Can Use Software and How
Proprietary software: owned by the developer; users buy a licence to use it, but cannot modify or distribute the source code. e.g. Microsoft Windows, Adobe Photoshop.
Open source software: source code is freely available; anyone can use, modify, and redistribute it. e.g. Linux, Python, Firefox.
Freeware: free to use but source code not available; Shareware: free trial, then pay; Freemium: basic free, premium paid
Intellectual Property
Beyond Copyright
Patents: protect inventions — give the inventor exclusive rights to their idea for up to 20 years
Trademarks: protect brand names, logos, and slogans — e.g. Apple logo, Google name
Creative Commons: a licensing system allowing creators to share work with specific permissions — e.g. free to use if credited, not for commercial use
Open source licences (MIT, GNU GPL) define rules for reusing and modifying code
Exam Practice
Have a go at this question
Edexcel-style question
Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using open source software compared to proprietary software.
4 marks
Advantage: the source code is freely available [1] so developers can modify and improve the software to suit their needs without additional cost [1]. Disadvantage: open source software may have fewer professional support options [1], so users may struggle to resolve technical issues compared to proprietary software which often has dedicated support [1].
Key Takeaways
What to Remember
Copyright: automatic protection for creative works; lasts lifetime + 70 years in the UK
Proprietary: paid, closed source; Open source: free, modifiable, shareable
IP includes patents (inventions), trademarks (brands), and copyright (creative works)